Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2023, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (10): 2306026.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB202306026

Special Issue: Special Issue on the 30th Anniversary of the Center for Nanochemistry at Peking University

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Research Progress of Two-Dimensional Material Hybrid Fiber Modulators

Kaifeng Lin1, Ding Zhong2, Jiahui Shao1, Kaihui Liu1,3,*(), Jinhuan Wang3,*(), Yonggang Zuo4,*(), Xu Zhou5,6,*()   

  1. 1 State key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
    2 Department of Physics, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
    3 State key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
    4 The Key Laboratory of Unconventional Metallurgy, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650031, China
    5 Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Quantum Engineering and Quantum Materials, School of Physics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
    6 Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory of Quantum Matter, Frontier Research Institute for Physics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
  • Received:2023-06-13 Accepted:2023-07-31 Published:2023-08-08
  • Contact: Kaihui Liu, Jinhuan Wang, Yonggang Zuo, Xu Zhou E-mail:khliu@pku.edu.cn;jinhuan_wang@163.com;science_zyg@163.com;xuzhou2020@m.scnu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52102044);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52203331);Guangzhou Basic and Applied Basic Research Projects(202201010395)

Abstract:

Communication technology has been rapidly advancing and widely applied in various fields, and optical fiber communication has become the fundamental basis of modern information communication, thanks to its high capacity and low loss. Optical modulators, which are essential devices in optical fiber communication systems, are typically based on bulk crystal electrical and optoelectronic devices. However, these devices have a drawback that they affect the quality of light in high-density transmission processes, thereby limiting the potential of optical fiber communication to achieve high-speed and high-capacity performance. To overcome this dilemma, researchers have been devoted to developing all-fiber devices capable of modulating, amplifying and detecting optical signals without interrupting the optical fiber transmission process. In recent years, many new types of optical fibers with different structures have been designed and fabricated. Among them, two-dimensional materials are exciting considerable attention in the field of optical modulation due to their unique properties that enhance the interaction between light and matter. Optical fiber-type modulators based on two-dimensional material hybrid fibers are expected to bring new opportunities for optical fiber communication. In this article, we will introduce various methods of combining two-dimensional materials with different structures of optical fibers, such as fiber end-face composites, hole inner-wall composites, tapered composites and side-polished composites structures. These methods can effectively integrate the advantages of both two-dimensional materials and optical fibers, and create novel optical modulators with high performance and functionality. We will also present some examples of optical modulators based on two-dimensional material hybrid fibers, including MoS2-based all-optical wavelength modulators, graphene-based electro-optical absorption modulators, and MXene-based thermo-optical phase modulators. These devices can modulate the wavelength, intensity or phase of optical signals by exploiting the optical, electrical or thermal properties of two-dimensional materials. The modulation of optical signals is achieved by changing the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index of two-dimensional materials through external optical, electric or thermal fields. In addition, we will summarize the modulation principles, processes and applications of two-dimensional material hybrid fiber modulators in different domains, such as all-optical, electro-optical, and thermo-optical. We will compare their advantages and disadvantages with conventional optical modulators based on bulk crystal devices, and explore their potential for improving the performance and efficiency of optical fiber communication systems. Finally, we will discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by the field of two-dimensional material hybrid fibers, and take a look at the perspectives for future research directions and developments.

Key words: Optical fiber, Two-dimensional material, Modulator, Two-dimensional material hybrid fiber, All-optical modulation, Electro-optic modulation, Thermo-optic modulation