Tunable Nanophotonic Interface Simplifies PIC Integration

A chiral nanophotonic interface developed by a research team at the University of Chicago could make photonic integrated circuits (PICs) easier to integrate into mapping systems, biosensors, and other technologies. The interface provides a way for PICs to direct light at the nanoscale. PICs typically use optical isolators to control the direction of light. These devices prevent light from reentering and destabilizing a system, but they often require large components that make it challenging to create small-scale PICs. The researchers fabricated titanium dioxide (TiO2) waveguides directly onto the surface of boron nitride (BN)-encapsulated tungsten diselenide (WSe2), integrating light confined in a nanophotonic waveguide with...