Graphene-based optical modulators

Abstract

In this chapter, we summarize the recent progress on graphene based optical modulators. Ability to control density of high mobility electrons on large area graphene surface enables realization of new type of electrooptical modulators in optoelectronics. Due to the low electronic density of states, accumulation of charges on graphene significantly shifts the Fermi energy up to 1 eV giving rise to profound optical effects in the infrared and visible spectra. On the other hand, graphene operates as a tunable Drude metal in long wavelengths such as THz and microwave. This unique broadband activity of graphene has stimulated a great deal of interest in graphene community due to its potential use in new optoelectronic devices. After discussing the electrically tunable optical properties of graphene, we highlight the key achievements in the field.