High performance Kerr effect in hybrid 2D material-SiN waveguide platform

The high scale manufacturing capability and low cost brought by the Si platform due to its CMOS compatibility makes it now a well-established standard. However, the design of nonlinear structures with Si compatible materials is hindered by strong two photon absorption at telecom optical wavelengths in silicon [1]. Alternatives such as silicon nitride (SiN) do not show as strong nonlinearities and can be limited in terms of performances. In order to boost SiN waveguides, one can turn to the emerging field of nonlinear two-dimensional (2D) materials [2]. The idea is to integrate to the structure a highly nonlinear material. Due to the overlap between the transverse propagating mode and the thin layer crystal, the electromagnetic wave can take advantage of the high nonlinear response of the 2D material. Thus, it increases the effective nonlinearities of the waveguide structure.