(Invited) Mechanically Flexible Integrated Photonic Systems for Sensing and Communications

Abstract

Conventional integrated photonic devices are fabricated on rigid semiconductor or dielectric substrates and are therefore inherently incompatible with soft biological tissues. Over the past few years, we have developed a suite of active and passive photonic devices and systems integrated on plastic substrates which can be bent, twisted, and stretched without compromising their optical performance. Here we review the latest progress in this emerging field, and discuss the rational material and mechanical engineering principles underlying the extraordinary flexibility of these photonic structures. Leveraging these design strategies, we demonstrated bendable glass waveguide circuits, flexible waveguide-integrated nanomembrane photodetectors, and stretchable photonics.