All-optical modulator based on a microfibre coil resonator functionalized with MXene

Pengfei Wang, Shi Li, Fengzi Ling, Gerald Farrell, Elfed Lewis, Yu Yin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A novel all-optical modulator based on a microfibre coil resonator (MCR) functionalized using MXene is reported. The MCR was manufactured by winding a tapered fibre on a polycarbonate (PC) resin cylinder with low refractive index to support the microfibre, which also forms a fluidic channel coil. The MXene dispersion was injected into the channel to allow the deposition of an MXene layer using a photodeposition process. The transmission spectra were tuned using a tunable laser with a centre wavelength of 1550 nm and the light-matter interaction resulting from the photo-thermal effect and MXene absorption provide the all-optical modulation in this device. The variation of the resonance wavelength, phase shift and extinction ratio of transmission spectrum versus power were determined as 50 pm/mW, 0.262 π/mW and 0.554 dBm/mW respectively. The all-optical modulation properties were further characterized using a lens coupling method and adding a chopper to provide a controlled light source. The rise and fall response times for waveforms of the light signal were 0.179 and 0.145 ms, respectively. The intensity and width of the light signal waveform was modulated using the chopper-controlled light source, which indicates that MXene, as a new two-dimensional material, has excellent nonlinear optical effects and the MXene-MCR has the potential for use in ultra-fast optical nonlinear optical processing. The MXene-MCR has several superior characteristics compared with other all-optical modulators including excellent modulation properties, all-fibre construction, easy fabrication and fast response. These advantages demonstrate MXene-MCR has excellent potential for use as a tunable optical filter, an optical switch as well as an all-optical modulator.

Original languageEnglish
Article number102776
JournalOptical Fiber Technology
Volume68
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2022

Keywords

  • All-optical modulator
  • Microfibre coil resonator
  • MXene

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