A compact plasmonic MOS-based 2×2 electro-optic switch

We report on a three-waveguide electro-optic switch for compact photonic integrated circuits and data routing applications. The device features a plasmonic metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) mode for enhanced light-matter-interactions. The switching mechanism originates from a capacitor-like design where the refractive index of the active medium, indium-tin-oxide, is altered via shifting the plasma frequency due to carrier accumulation inside the waveguide-based MOS structure. This light manipulation mechanism controls the transmission direction of transverse magnetic polarized light into either a CROSS or BAR waveguide port. The extinction ratio of 18 (7) dB for the CROSS (BAR) state, respectively, is achieved via a gating voltage bias. The ultrafast broadband fJ/bit device allows for seamless integration with silicon-on-insulator platforms for low-cost manufacturing.