IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-63521-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optically-driven organic nano-step actuator for reconfigurable photonic circuits

Author

Listed:
  • Ji-Zhe Zhang

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Xin-Biao Xu

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Yanjun Gong

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhu-Bo Wang

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Xiao-Zhuo Qi

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Xiao-Jing Liu

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Yuan-Hao Yang

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Zheng-Hui Tian

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Jia-Qi Wang

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Yan-Lei Zhang

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Ming Li

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Yongxian Guo

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yingde Yan

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Chun-Hua Dong

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Xi-Feng Ren

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Yifan Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Chuang Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Guang-Can Guo

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Yanke Che

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Chang-Ling Zou

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China
    University of Science and Technology of China)

Abstract

The assembling and reconfiguration of the integrated devices are of great importance to extend the capability of photonic chips based on top-down fabrication approaches. Here, we demonstrate a fully-programmable organic micro-actuator for precise manipulation of on-chip microstructures. Controlled by a low-power laser, the micro-actuator achieves a 30 nm motion step size, and shows the capability to traverse various chip substrates, overcome obstacles, and push microspheres to target locations. The micro-actuator is applied to fine-tune the microcavity and shift the resonance by three linewidths without compromising its quality factor. This optically-driven micro-actuator offers a unique approach for post-fabrication assembly and reconfiguration of photonic circuits, paving the way for adaptive, multifunctional photonic systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Ji-Zhe Zhang & Xin-Biao Xu & Yanjun Gong & Zhu-Bo Wang & Xiao-Zhuo Qi & Xiao-Jing Liu & Yuan-Hao Yang & Zheng-Hui Tian & Jia-Qi Wang & Yan-Lei Zhang & Ming Li & Yongxian Guo & Yingde Yan & Chun-Hua Do, 2025. "Optically-driven organic nano-step actuator for reconfigurable photonic circuits," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-63521-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63521-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63521-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-63521-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wim Bogaerts & Daniel Pérez & José Capmany & David A. B. Miller & Joyce Poon & Dirk Englund & Francesco Morichetti & Andrea Melloni, 2020. "Programmable photonic circuits," Nature, Nature, vol. 586(7828), pages 207-216, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xiao Li & Jia-Yi Hou & Jia-Chao Wang & Guang-Wei Wang & Xiao-Dong He & Feng Zhou & Yi-Bo Wang & Min Liu & Jin Wang & Peng Xu & Ming-Sheng Zhan, 2025. "A fiber array architecture for atom quantum computing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. H. H. Zhu & J. Zou & H. Zhang & Y. Z. Shi & S. B. Luo & N. Wang & H. Cai & L. X. Wan & B. Wang & X. D. Jiang & J. Thompson & X. S. Luo & X. H. Zhou & L. M. Xiao & W. Huang & L. Patrick & M. Gu & L. C., 2022. "Space-efficient optical computing with an integrated chip diffractive neural network," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Yang Yang & Robert J. Chapman & Ben Haylock & Francesco Lenzini & Yogesh N. Joglekar & Mirko Lobino & Alberto Peruzzo, 2024. "Programmable high-dimensional Hamiltonian in a photonic waveguide array," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-7, December.
    4. Valeria Saggio & Carlos Errando-Herranz & Samuel Gyger & Christopher Panuski & Mihika Prabhu & Lorenzo Santis & Ian Christen & Dalia Ornelas-Huerta & Hamza Raniwala & Connor Gerlach & Marco Colangelo , 2024. "Cavity-enhanced single artificial atoms in silicon," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-6, December.
    5. Mark Dong & Julia M. Boyle & Kevin J. Palm & Matthew Zimmermann & Alex Witte & Andrew J. Leenheer & Daniel Dominguez & Gerald Gilbert & Matt Eichenfield & Dirk Englund, 2023. "Synchronous micromechanically resonant programmable photonic circuits," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. Kaihang Lu & Zengqi Chen & Hao Chen & Wu Zhou & Zunyue Zhang & Hon Ki Tsang & Yeyu Tong, 2024. "Empowering high-dimensional optical fiber communications with integrated photonic processors," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Mehmet Berkay On & Farshid Ashtiani & David Sanchez-Jacome & Daniel Perez-Lopez & S. J. Ben Yoo & Andrea Blanco-Redondo, 2024. "Programmable integrated photonics for topological Hamiltonians," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    8. Han Zhao & Bingzhao Li & Huan Li & Mo Li, 2022. "Enabling scalable optical computing in synthetic frequency dimension using integrated cavity acousto-optics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    9. Miltiadis Moralis-Pegios & George Giamougiannis & Apostolos Tsakyridis & David Lazovsky & Nikos Pleros, 2024. "Perfect linear optics using silicon photonics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    10. Hongyi Sun & Chuanyu Lian & Francis Vásquez-Aza & Sadra Rahimi Kari & Yi-Siou Huang & Alessandro Restelli & Steven A. Vitale & Ichiro Takeuchi & Juejun Hu & Nathan Youngblood & Georges Pavlidis & Carl, 2025. "Microheater hotspot engineering for spatially resolved and repeatable multi-level switching in foundry-processed phase change silicon photonics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    11. Steven Becker & Dirk Englund & Birgit Stiller, 2024. "An optoacoustic field-programmable perceptron for recurrent neural networks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    12. Maoliang Wei & Kai Xu & Bo Tang & Junying Li & Yiting Yun & Peng Zhang & Yingchun Wu & Kangjian Bao & Kunhao Lei & Zequn Chen & Hui Ma & Chunlei Sun & Ruonan Liu & Ming Li & Lan Li & Hongtao Lin, 2024. "Monolithic back-end-of-line integration of phase change materials into foundry-manufactured silicon photonics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    13. Shi-Yuan Ma & Tianyu Wang & Jérémie Laydevant & Logan G. Wright & Peter L. McMahon, 2025. "Quantum-limited stochastic optical neural networks operating at a few quanta per activation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    14. Souza, Dayane S.R. & Sampaio, Luciano M.B. & Sampaio, Raquel M.B., 2024. "Does the area and learning modality of teacher qualification matter to middle school students’ performance in mathematics?," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    15. Ali Najjar Amiri & Aycan Deniz Vit & Kazim Gorgulu & Emir Salih Magden, 2024. "Deep photonic network platform enabling arbitrary and broadband optical functionality," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    16. Kazuma Taki & Naoki Sekine & Kouhei Watanabe & Yuto Miyatake & Tomohiro Akazawa & Hiroya Sakumoto & Kasidit Toprasertpong & Shinichi Takagi & Mitsuru Takenaka, 2024. "Nonvolatile optical phase shift in ferroelectric hafnium zirconium oxide," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    17. Zi Wang & Lorry Chang & Feifan Wang & Tiantian Li & Tingyi Gu, 2022. "Integrated photonic metasystem for image classifications at telecommunication wavelength," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    18. Joo, Mingyu & Kim, Seung Hyun & Ghose, Anindya & Wilbur, Kenneth C., 2023. "Designing Distributed Ledger technologies, like Blockchain, for advertising markets," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 12-21.
    19. Chen, Kexin & Shamshiripour, Ali & Seshadri, Ravi & Hasnine, Md Sami & Yoo, Lisa & Guan, Jinping & Alho, Andre Romano & Feldman, Daniel & Ben-Akiva, Moshe, 2024. "Potential short- to long-term impacts of on-demand urban air mobility on transportation demand in North America," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    20. Xinxin Gao & Ze Gu & Qian Ma & Bao Jie Chen & Kam-Man Shum & Wen Yi Cui & Jian Wei You & Tie Jun Cui & Chi Hou Chan, 2024. "Terahertz spoof plasmonic neural network for diffractive information recognition and processing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-63521-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.