Electrically controlled nanophotonic devices using the phase transition of vanadium dioxide

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) exhibits a large refractive index change in the infrared wavelength range across an insulator-metal phase transition. Combining these material properties with careful photonic design leads to optoelectronic devices with performance that cannot be easily matched by standard optical materials. We describe ultra-compact modulators and photodetectors, as well as highly reconfigurable gratings that incorporate VO2.