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DOE OSTI · 3376349

Piezoelectrically actuated silicon-nitride-based high-speed spatial light modulator

Vanackere, Tom [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Ghent Univ. (Belgium)] (ORCID:0000000346929467)·Hermans, Artur [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Ghent Univ. (Belgium)] (ORCID:0000000329117125)·Christen, Ian [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000158416488)·Panuski, Christopher [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000179698226)·Dong, Mark [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA (United States)] (ORCID:000000028577451X)·Zimmermann, Matthew [MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0009000866006620)·Raniwala, Hamza [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)]·Leenheer, Andrew J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)] (ORCID:000000034735292X)·Eichenfield, Matt [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)]·Gilbert, Gerald [MITRE Corporation, Princeton, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000288155423)·Englund, Dirk [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000210433489)
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Abstract

Advancements in light modulator technology have been driving discoveries and progress across various fields. The problem of large-scale coherent optical control of atomic quantum systems—including cold atoms, ions, and solid-state color centers—presents among the most stringent requirements. This motivates a new generation of high-speed large-scale modulator technology operating in the visible to near-infrared wavelength range. We introduce a scalable modulator technology based on piezoelectrically actuated silicon nitride resonant waveguide gratings fabricated on 200 mm diameter silicon wafers with CMOS-compatible processes. We present a proof-of-concept device with 4 × 4 individually addressable 50 μ m × 50 μ m pixels or channels, each containing a resonant waveguide grating with a ~ 780 nm design wavelength, supporting > 100 MHz modulation speeds, and a spectral response with > 20 dB extinction.

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Vanackere, Tom [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Ghent Univ. (Belgium)] (ORCID:0000000346929467), Hermans, Artur [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Ghent Univ. (Belgium)] (ORCID:0000000329117125), Christen, Ian [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000158416488), Panuski, Christopher [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000179698226), Dong, Mark [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA (United States)] (ORCID:000000028577451X), Zimmermann, Matthew [MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0009000866006620), Raniwala, Hamza [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)], Leenheer, Andrew J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)] (ORCID:000000034735292X), Eichenfield, Matt [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)], Gilbert, Gerald [MITRE Corporation, Princeton, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000288155423), Englund, Dirk [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000210433489). 2025-11-26. Piezoelectrically actuated silicon-nitride-based high-speed spatial light modulator. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66718-4

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