Electrostatic actuation of nanomechanical optical fibres with integrated electrodes

Abstract

We investigate theoretically and experimentally the possibility of electrostatic actuation of nanomechanical optical fibers with integrated electrodes. The fiber has two optically guiding cores suspended in air by thin flexible membranes. This fiber structure allows for control of the optical properties via nanometer-range mechanical core movements. The electrostatic actuation of the fiber is generated by electrically charged electrodes embedded in the fiber cladding. Fiber designs with one to four electrodes are analyzed and, in particular, a quadrupole geometry is shown to allow for all-fiber optical switching in a 10cm fiber with an operating voltage of 25 - 30V. A multi-material fiber draw technique is demonstrated to fabricate a fiber with well-defined dual core structure in the middle and four continuous metal electrodes in the cladding. The fabricated fiber is analyzed and compared with the modeled requirements for electrostatic actuation.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Nina Podoliak: orcid.org/0000-0002-3146-0355

ORCID for P. Horak: orcid.org/0000-0002-8710-8764

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