Realization of Mechanically Maneuverable Circuit Ports in Organic Hybrid Photonic Chip for 360° Steering of Bandwidth‐Engineered Signals

Abstract

Photon-based data communication technologies provide safe, efficient, and speedy data transfer. The conventional silicon-based photonic circuits possess several inherent shortcomings. One of them is the mechanical rigidity of circuits. Realizing a flexible organic photonic integrated circuit (FOPIC) or organic photonic chip with functional complexity requires innovative materials and a hybrid materials platform. Mechanically flexible organic acicular crystals with fewer imperfections, high refractive index, and high quantum yield are promising materials for FOPIC fabrication. Here, the fabrication of a hybrid FOPIC using (E)-1-(4-(N,N-dimethyl)phenyl)iminomethyl-2-hydroxyl-naphthalene (DPIN) and (E)-1-(4-(chloro)phenyl) iminomethyl-2-hydroxyl-naphthalene (CPIN) crystals for precise steering of output light at different angles is presented. The crystals of DPIN and CPIN are mechanically compliant and optically dissimilar. Mechanical micromanipulation of DPIN and CPIN flexible crystals provides a four-port FOPIC that comprises waveguide integrated ring resonator. Mechanical maneuverability of the circuit ports enables selective routing of six bandwidth-engineered signals at desirable angles (0–360°) in 2D. The circuit applies active/passive light-guiding principles, reabsorbance, and energy-transfer mechanisms for its operation. The presented proof-of-principle reconfigurable photonic circuit concept is advantageous in programmable circuits, navigable detectors, and intelligent sensors.