Sohn, B.-U., Gao, H., Chia, X. X., Choi, J. W., Ng, D. K. T., & Tan, D. T. H. (2026). Thermo-optic control of a topological boundary mode. Optics Express, 34(6), 9626. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.583003
Abstract:
We investigate thermo-optic-induced delocalization of a topological mode in a 1D Su-Schreiffer-Heeger system with a domain wall possessing non-zero Zak phase of varying magnitudes. Thermal perturbations are applied to the domain wall, inducing a change in its local refractive index via the thermo-optic effect and causing a perturbation in the system’s chiral symmetry. The ultra-silicon-rich-nitride (USRN) material on which the device is implemented has a large thermo-optic coefficient of 2.48X10
−4
/°C, similar in magnitude to the refractive index variation caused by the third-order nonlinear Kerr effect (d
n
/d
W
= 1.2X10
−4
/W). We experimentally characterize the transmission properties of the topological waveguide and observe thermo-optic-induced changes owing to the perturbation of the topological mode. We further experimentally observe modulation of the idler generated using nonlinear parametric wavelength conversion induced by the thermo-optic effect.
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Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the National Research Foundation - NRF Investigatorship
Grant Reference no. : NRF-NRFI08-2022-0003
This research / project is supported by the National Research Foundation - Medium Sized Centre Program
Grant Reference no. : M24W1NS004, M24W1NS008
This research is supported by core funding from: National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Center
Grant Reference no. :