LAUSR

In this work, a niobium carbide (Nb2C) was proposed and demonstrated as an optical modulator for operation in the 1.5 and the 2.0 µm wavelength region. The Nb2C solution was first prepared using the liquid phase exfoliation technique, and then embedded into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer to form a thin film. Based on the thermo-optic effect exhibited by the Nb2C-PVA film, successful modulations of the 1.5 and the 2.0 µm signals were observed, where the signals could be modulated up to a frequency of 5 kHz. The modulators could also be employed in an all-optical signal processing system, in which information codes from the control light could be conveyed through both signals. The integration of the Nb2C-PVA film into the all-optical modulation system shows the material efficiency to modulate the transmission light with high stability, showing significant potential of the device in an all-optical signal processing system.