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Achieving non-reciprocal optical behavior in integrated photonics with high efficiency has long been a challenge. Here, we demonstrate a non-reciprocal magneto-optic response by integrating multilayer 2D CuCrP2S6 (CCPS) onto silicon micro ring resonators (MRRs).Under an applied magnetic field, the CCPS intralayer ferromagnetic ordering, characterized by easy-plane magneto-crystalline anisotropy, induces asymmetrical modal responses in the clockwise (CW)and counterclockwise (CCW) light propagation directions. The proposed configuration achieves a low insertion loss of 0.15 dB and a high isolation ratio of 28 dB at 1550 nm. Notably, it exhibits a significant resonance wavelength splitting of 0.4 nm between the counter propagation directions, supporting a 50 GHz optical bandwidth. Operating directly in the transverse electric (TE) mode, it aligns with the main polarization used in silicon photonics circuit, eliminating the need for additional polarization management. The device is ultra-compact, with 2D flake interaction length ranging from 22 um to 55 um and a thickness between 39 nm and 62 nm. Its operation range covers the entire C-band with a bandwidth of up to 100 nm. These attributes make our hybrid CCPS/Si device ideal for advanced non-reciprocal optical applications in the short-wave infrared (SWIR)spectrum, crucial for enhancing the resilience of optical systems against back-reflections.

Bessel beams, known for their unique non-diffracting property, maintain their shape and intensity over long distances, making them invaluable for applications in optical trapping, imaging, and communications. This work presents a comprehensive theoretical analysis of micro-photonic antennas designed to generate Bessel beams within the Terahertz (THz) and optical frequency ranges. The technique is demonstrated by generating far-field patterns of Bessel waves at these frequencies. The design employs metasurface patterns arranged as arrays of concentric rings atop rectangular silicon waveguides, collectively creating a Bessel beam. Dyadic Greens function integral equation techniques are used to model the transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) fields in the metasurface radiation zone. Utilizing orthogonal vector wave functions, Bloch theorem, Floquet harmonics, and the transverse resonance technique, a photonic chip is designed to achieve a non-diffracting range of 500 um at the optical telecom wavelength of 1.5 um for a metasurface radius of 25 um. A radiation efficiency exceeding 80% is achieved by optimizing the attenuation constant (alpha) along the structure. The theoretical models are validated through simulations for both optical 1.5 um and Terahertz 14 um wavelengths, demonstrating significant alignment between predictions and simulation results.

Tunable optical materials are indispensable elements in modern optoelectronics, especially in integrated photonics circuits where precise control over the effective refractive index is essential for diverse applications. Two-dimensional materials like Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) and graphene exhibit remarkable optical responses to external stimuli. However, achieving distinctive modulation across a broad spectrum while enabling precise phase control at low signal loss within a compact footprint remains an ongoing challenge. In this work, we unveil the robust electro-refractive response of multilayer ferroionic two-dimensional CuCrP2S6 (CCPS) in the near-infrared wavelength range. By integrating CuCrP2S6 into SiPh microring resonators (MRR), we enhance light-matter interaction and measurement sensitivity to minute phase and absorption variations. Results show that electrically driven Cu ions can tune the effective refractive index on the order of 2.8 x10-3 RIU (refractive index unit) while preserving extinction ratios and resonance linewidth. Notably, these devices exhibit low optical losses of 2.7 dB/cm and excellent modulation efficiency of 0.25 V.cm with a consistent blue shift in the resonance wavelengths among all devices. These results outperform earlier findings on phase shifter based on TMDs. Consequently, CCPS integration endows characteristics akin to those of high-index active dielectric materials. Moreover, we showcase the electro-optic tuning sensitivity to light polarization, opening avenues for versatile light manipulation. The dual optoelectronic and ionotronic capabilities of the two-terminal CCPS devices hold vast potential, spanning applications such as phased arrays, optical switching, and neuromorphic systems in light-sensitive artificial synapses.

The emergence of large language models has led to the development of powerful tools such as ChatGPT that can produce text indistinguishable from human-generated work. With the increasing accessibility of such technology, students across the globe may utilize it to help with their school work -- a possibility that has sparked discussions on the integrity of student evaluations in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). To date, it is unclear how such tools perform compared to students on university-level courses. Further, students' perspectives regarding the use of such tools, and educators' perspectives on treating their use as plagiarism, remain unknown. Here, we compare the performance of ChatGPT against students on 32 university-level courses. We also assess the degree to which its use can be detected by two classifiers designed specifically for this purpose. Additionally, we conduct a survey across five countries, as well as a more in-depth survey at the authors' institution, to discern students' and educators' perceptions of ChatGPT's use. We find that ChatGPT's performance is comparable, if not superior, to that of students in many courses. Moreover, current AI-text classifiers cannot reliably detect ChatGPT's use in school work, due to their propensity to classify human-written answers as AI-generated, as well as the ease with which AI-generated text can be edited to evade detection. Finally, we find an emerging consensus among students to use the tool, and among educators to treat this as plagiarism. Our findings offer insights that could guide policy discussions addressing the integration of AI into educational frameworks., Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures

On-chip integration of two-dimensional (2D) materials offers great potential for the realization of novel optoelectronic devices in different photonic platforms. In particular, indium selenide (InSe) is a very promising 2D material due to its ultra-high carrier mobility and outstanding photo-responsivity. Here, we report a high-speed photodetector based on a multilayer 90 nm thick InSe integrated on a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide. The device exhibits a low dark current of 10 nA at 1V bias, a remarkable photoresponsivity of 0.38 AW-1, and high external quantum efficiency of 48.4% measured at 5 V bias. This performance is tested at near-infrared (NIR) 976 nm wavelength under ambient conditions. Furthermore, using numerical and experimental investigations, the estimated absorption coefficient per unit length is 0.11dB/um. To determine the dynamic response of the photodetector, its small and large signal frequency response are also evaluated. A 3-dB radiofrequency (RF) bandwidth of 85 MHz is measured with an open-eye diagram observed at 1 Gbit/s data transmission. Given these outstanding optoelectronic merits, active photonic devices based on integrated multilayer InSe can be realized for a variety of applications including short-reach optical interconnects, LiDAR imaging, and biosensing., Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures

Following a well-established practice of publishing commentaries to articles of other authors who work on materials that were earlier studied by them (n.b. six published comments[1-6]), Marek Szafra\'nski(MS) and Andrzej Katrusiak (AK) have filed on the preprint server arXiv a manuscript entitled "On the giant deformation and ferroelectricity of guanidinium nitrate"[7] with comments on our article "Exceptionally high work density of a ferroelectric dynamic organic crystal around room temperature" published in Nature Communications (2022, 13, 2823).[8] Both in the submitted comment as well as in the required (by the journal) direct communication with us preceding its posting, MS and AK have expressed dissatisfaction with the choice of literature references in our article, for which they felt that their previous work on this material has not been cited to a sufficient extent. In their comment, they summarize their other remarks on our article as "the structural determinations of GN [guanidinium nitrate] crystals, their phase transitions and associated giant deformation, as well as its detailed structural mechanism, the molecular dynamics and dielectric properties were reported before, while the semiconductivity, ferroelectricity, and fatigue resistance of the GN [guanidinium nitrate] crystals cannot be confirmed."[7] Apart from the sentiments of MS and AK on our choice of cited literature, we find their comments on the scientific content of our article to be strongly biased towards their own results and unfounded. Below, we provide a detailed response to their comments., Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure

Electrically tunable devices contribute significantly to key functions of photonics integrated circuits. Here, we demonstrate the tuning of the optical index of refraction based on hybrid integration of multi-layered anisotropic GaGeTe on a silicon micro-ring resonator (Si-MRR). Under static applied (DC) bias and transverse-electric (TE) polarization, the device exhibits a linear resonance shift without any amplitude modulation. However, for the transverse-magnetic (TM) polarization, both amplitude and phase modulation are observed. The corresponding wavelength shift and half-wave voltage length product (V_{\pi}.l) for the TE polarization are 1.78 pm/V and 0.9 V.cm, respectively. These values are enhanced for the TM polarizations and correspond to 6.65 pm/V and 0.28 V.cm, respectively. The dynamic radio frequency (RF) response of the devices was also tested at different bias conditions. Remarkably, the device exhibits a 1.6 MHz and 2.1 MHz response at 0 V and 7 V bias, respectively. Based on these findings, the integration of 2D GaGeTe on the silicon photonics platform has great potential for the next generation of integrated photonic applications such as switches and phase shifters., Comment: 8 pages 5 figures

In-plane optical anisotropy plays a critical role in manipulating light in a wide range of planner photonic devices. In this study, the strong anisotropy of multilayer 2D GeAs is leveraged and utilized to validate the technical feasibility of on-chip light management. A 2D GeAs is stamped into an ultra-compact silicon waveguide four-way crossing optimized for operation in the O-optical band. The measured optical transmission spectra indicated a remarkable discrepancy between the in-plane crystal optical axes with an attenuation ratio of ~ 3.5 (at 1330 nm). Additionally, the effect of GeAs crystal orientation on the electro-optic transmission performance is demonstrated on a straight waveguide. A notable 50 % reduction in responsivity was recorded for devices constructed with cross direction compared to devices with a crystal a-direction parallel to the light polarization. This extraordinary optical anisotropy, combined with a high refractive index ~ 4 of 2D GeAs, opens possibilities for efficient on-chip light manipulation in photonic devices.

Graphene has emerged as an ultrafast optoelectronic material for on-chip photodetector applications. The 2D nature of graphene enables its facile integration with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) microelectronics and silicon photonics, yet graphene absorbs only $\sim$2.3% of light. Plasmonic metals can enhance the responsivity of graphene photodetectors, but may result in CMOS-incompatible devices, depending on the choice of metal. Here, we propose a plasmon-enhanced photothermoelectric graphene detector using CMOS-compatible titanium nitride (TiN) on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. The device performance is quantified by its responsivity, operation speed, and noise equivalent power. Its bandwidth exceeds 100$\,$GHz, and it exhibits a nearly flat photoresponse across the telecom C-band. The photodetector responsivity is as high as 1.4$\,$A/W (1.1$\,$A/W external) at an ultra-compact length of 3.5$\,\mu$m, which is the most compact footprint reported for a graphene-based waveguide photodetector. Furthermore, it operates at zero-bias, consumes zero energy, and has an ultra-low intrinsic noise equivalent power (NEP$\,$<$\,25\:\text{pW/}\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$), Comment: Based on recent experimental findings, hyperbolic phonon polaritons dominate the hot carrier cooling mechanism in graphene-hBN Van der Waals heterostructures

Novel group IVV 2D semiconductors (e.g., GeAs and SiAs) has arisen as an attractive candidate for broad-band photodetection and optoelectronic applications. This 2D family has wide tunable bandgap, excellent thermodynamic stability, and strong in-plane anisotropy. However, their photonic and optoelectronic properties have not been extensively explored so far. In this work we demonstrate a broadband back-to-back metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) Schottky photodiode with asymmetric contact geometries based on multilayered 2D GeAs. The photodetector exhibited a Schottky barrier height (SBH) in the range of 0.40 to 0.49 eV. Additionally, it showed low dark current of 1.8 nA with stable, reproducible, and excellent broadband spectral response from UV to optical communication wavelengths. The highest measured responsivity in the visible is 905 A/W at 660 nm wavelength and 98 A/W for 1064 nm near infrared. Most notably, the planner configuration of this GeAs photodetector showed low detector capacitance below 1.2 pf, low voltage operation (<1V), and a large bandwidth which may exceed 40 GHz. The stability and broadband response of the device are promising for this 2D materials application in high-speed optoelectronic devices.

We propose an on-chip CMOS compatible graphene plasmonic photodetector based on the photo-thermoelectric effect (PTE) that occurs across an entire homogeneous graphene channel. The proposed photodetector incorporates the long-range dielectric-loaded surface plasmon polariton (LR-DLSPP) waveguide with a metal stripe serving simultaneously as a plasmon supporting metallic material and one of the metal electrodes. Large in-plane component of the transverse magnetic (TM) plasmonic mode can couple efficiently to the graphene causing large temperature increases across an entire graphene channel with a maximum located at the metal stripe edge. As a result, the electronic temperatures exceeding 12000K at input power of only a few tens of {\mu}W can be obtained at the telecom wavelength of 1550nm. Even with limitations such as the melting temperature of graphene (T= 4510 K), a responsivity exceeding at least 200 A/W is achievable at telecom wavelength of 1550 nm. It is also shown that under certain operation conditions, the PTE channel photocurrent can be isolated from photovoltaic and p-n junction PTE contributions providing an efficient way for optimizing the overall photodetector performance., Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures

The omnipresent digitalization trend has enabled a number of related malicious activities, ranging from data theft to disruption of businesses, counterfeiting of devices, and identity fraud, among others. Hence, it is essential to implement security schemes and to ensure the reliability and trustworthiness of electronic circuits. Toward this end, the concept of physically unclonable functions (PUFs) has been established at the beginning of the 21st century. However, most PUFs have eventually, at least partially, fallen short of their promises, which are unpredictability, unclonability, uniqueness, reproducibility, and tamper resilience. That is because most PUFs directly utilize the underlying microelectronics, but that intrinsic randomness can be limited and may thus be predicted, especially by machine learning. Optical PUFs, in contrast, are still considered as promising---they can derive strong, hard-to-predict randomness independently from microelectronics, by using some kind of "optical token." Here we propose a novel concept for plasmonics-enhanced optical PUFs, or peo-PUFs in short. For the first time, we leverage two highly nonlinear phenomena in conjunction by construction: (i) light propagation in a silicon disk resonator, and (ii) surface plasmons arising from nanoparticles arranged randomly on top of the resonator. We elaborate on the physical phenomena, provide simulation results, and conduct a security analysis of peo- PUFs for secure key generation and authentication. This study highlights the good potential of peo-PUFs, and our future work is to focus on fabrication and characterization of such PUFs., Comment: IEEE/OSA J. Lightwave Technology (JLT), 2019

Here we propose a waveguide-integrated germanium plasmonic photodetector that is based on a long-range dielectric-loaded surface plasmon polariton waveguide configuration. As this configuration ensures a long propagation distance, i.e., small absorption into metal, and a good mode field confinement, i.e., high interaction of the electric field with a germanium material, it is perfect for a realization of plasmonic germanium photodetectors. Such a photodetector even without optimization provides a responsivity exceeding 1 A/W for both wavelengths of 1310 nm and 1550 nm. To achieve such a responsivity, only a 5 {\mu}m-long waveguide is required for 1310 nm and 30 {\mu}m-long for 1550 nm. With optimization this value can be highly improved. In the proposed arrangement a metal stripe simultaneously supports a propagating mode and serves as one of the electrodes, while the second electrode is located a short distance from the waveguide. As a propagating mode is tightly confined to the germanium ridge, the external electrode can be placed very close to the waveguide without disturbing it. As such, the distance between electrodes can be smaller than 350 nm which allows one to achieve a bandwidth exceeding 100 GHz. However, as most of the carriers are generated inside a distance of 100 nm from a stripe, a bandwidth exceeding 150 GHz can be achieved for a bias voltage of -4 V., Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, 1 table

Here, we propose titanium nitride (TiN) as an alternative plasmonic material for an on-chip silicon plasmonic Schottky photodetector that is based on an internal photoemission process and operating at telecom wavelengths. The examined structure employs an asymmetric metal-semiconductor-metal waveguide structure with one of the electrodes being gold and the second either gold, titanium or titanium nitride. Apart from the excellent optical properties desired for this type of photodetector such as high absorption losses and reasonably high real part of the permittivity, titanium nitride is a CMOS-compatible material that enables easy integration with existing CMOS technology. For the first time, we find a Schottky barrier height of 0.67 eV for titanium nitride on p-doped silicon, which is very close to the optimal value of 0.69 eV. This value ensures very high signal-to-noise ratio of the photodetector operating at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Additionally, TiN provides shorter penetration depth of the mode into metal compared to Ti, which enhances transmission probability of hot electrons to a semiconductor and gives rise to responsivity enhancement., Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures