Programmable and switchable nanophotonics using ultralow-loss phase change materials

The ability to actively precisely control the absorption, emission, and flow of light is one of the main features of nanophotonics research. Phase change materials (PCMs) hold promise for achieving energy efficient, set-and-forget reconfigurability over long times which can be used for a range of applications in optical memory, neural networks, trimming, programmable and reconfigurable photonics. To achieve non-volatile control over optical phase without inducing large losses, a next generation of low-loss optical PCMs is needed. Recently, antimony-based materials Sb2S3 and Sb2Se3 have been introduced as a family of PCMs of particular interest for applications in telecoms, near-infrared and visible range. I will present an overview of our work on exploring the properties of Sb2Se3 including time resolved switching, endurance, and applications in silicon photonics and free space optical devices.