Ferroelectric Relaxor Materials for High-Frequency Sensors and High-Speed Optical Switches

This proposal addresses the development of novel ferroelectric relaxors, such as PMN-PT, to produce a new class of ultra-high sensitivity, non-intrusive, compact electro-optical electric field probes. This material is capable of demonstrating an electro-optic coefficient that is more than an order of magnitude higher than the industry standard lithium niobate material. In addition, they have the promise to operate efficiently up to and beyond 100 GHz. The development of thin film ferroelectric relaxors having ultra-high electro-optic coefficient would dramatically enhance the capabilities of optical waveguide electric field sensor probes for use in Directed Energy and High Power Microwave (HPM) test environments. Phase I sensor design confirmed that sensors using PMN-PT would present substantial performance advantages over lithium niobate in terms of sensitivity, compactness, and bandwidth. The Phase II work plan follows through on the successful Phase I epitaxy of buffer layers on sapphire to achieve single crystal PMN-PT films on sapphire. Achievement of repeatable materials properties will be critical to the development of reliable sensor devices. High frequency sensors would involve extensive simulation, fabrication and testing to 100 GHz. This work will result in a new generation of waveguiding devices in which massive electro-optic responses of single crystal relaxor ferroelectric PMN-PT is exploited to electro-optically manipulate light.