Reconfigurable optical device having device elements with phase change material layers and corresponding heaters connected to a circuit

Abstract

A reconfigurable optical device comprises a plurality of device elements that corresponds to a wavelength λ. The optical device comprises a substrate with an electrical circuit, an isolating dielectric, a field ground metal, a heater plane dielectric, a capping dielectric, and an encapsulating dielectric. Each device element comprises a resistive heater that is surrounded by the heater plane dielectric, a phase change material (PCM) layer comprising a chalcogenide-containing material, an optical antenna disposed atop the PCM layer, a capping portion of the capping dielectric above the resistive heater, and a capping metal above the capping portion and the resistive heater. The field ground metal is between each of the device elements. The encapsulating dielectric surrounds the PCM layer and the optical antenna in each of the device elements. At least three device elements in the plurality of device elements have their respective resistive heaters connected in series to the electrical circuit.