Self-Holding Optical Actuator Based on a Mixed Ionic–Electronic Conductor Material

Abstract

A new approach for an optical actuator system based on mixed ionic–electronic conductor materials is proposed. The system actuates on light propagating in a waveguide implemented on a photonic integrated circuit by electrochemically changing the composition of the MIEC material, using the characteristic dependence of the optical properties upon stoichiometry. To realize this actuator, a multilayer stack was sputtered and characterized forming a battery-like system where ions reversibly travel from a Li-ion source to a LixV2O5 layer, producing the desired change of the optical properties. Modal field FEM simulations were carried out to estimate the influence of the formed actuator on a waveguide fundamental mode implemented on the silicon on insulator platform. The time resolution of the actuator is estimated solving the diffusion profile of Li inside the LixV2O5 coating and its evolution with time. Through simulations and measurements, promising results for a potential actuator system are shown, like small device length (<20 μm), low power consumption (∼10 pW per switch), reversibility, and long time stability.