Periodic pixelated structure for electro-optically and orientationally programmable asymmetric electromagnetic transmission

A pixelation approach was adopted to design an all-dielectric periodic structure without bidirectional symmetry in the thickness direction to exhibit asymmetric electromagnetic transmission (AET) at near-infrared wavelengths ranging from 1.2 to 1.8 µm. Whereas some pixels represent a dielectric solid, others represent a transparent electro-optic polymer with a high electro-optic coefficient. This structure can demonstrate AET as high as 0.90. A specific combination of an applied voltage and the angle of incidence will lead to an acceptable AET magnitude for a particular wavelength, which is promising for electro-optically and orientationally programmable optical diodes in in-line optical systems. The use of a transparent electro-optic polymer with a high electro-optic coefficient enables sub-nanosecond switching speeds desirable for optical communications.