Control of Exciton Fluxes in an Excitonic Integrated Circuit

TLDR

Photonic communication is efficient, while electronic signal processing relies on an optically inactive medium. The study aims to create an interconnection between electronic signal processing and optical communication at the integrated circuit level. The circuit uses three exciton optoelectronic transistors that convert photons to excitons at the input, manipulate exciton fluxes via electrode voltage patterns for directional switching and merging, and reconvert excitons to photons at the output. The authors demonstrated control of exciton fluxes in an excitonic integrated circuit, showing that direct photon–exciton coupling could enable efficient exciton‑based optoelectronic devices.

Abstract

Efficient signal communication uses photons. Signal processing, however, uses an optically inactive medium, electrons. Therefore, an interconnection between electronic signal processing and optical communication is required at the integrated circuit level. We demonstrated control of exciton fluxes in an excitonic integrated circuit. The circuit consists of three exciton optoelectronic transistors and performs operations with exciton fluxes, such as directional switching and merging. Photons transform into excitons at the circuit input, and the excitons transform into photons at the circuit output. The exciton flux from the input to the output is controlled by a pattern of the electrode voltages. The direct coupling of photons, used in communication, to excitons, used as the device-operation medium, may lead to the development of efficient exciton-based optoelectronic devices.