The Limit to Plasmonic Reliability is Realistic
As next generation of modulators is a race for materials, no matter whether a III/V or a Lithium derivate is preferred, also the organics used in plasmonics follow its well understood practical limit. This is related to the glass transition temperature Tg of the material, which by the way has been rapidly evolving in the right direction in the past few years. Published knowledge indicates that one that the desired regime relates to a specific longevity. For instance, targeting 10 years corresponds to a ratio of 0.22 for the indicated formula in Kelvin.
Polariton employs exclusively advanced generations of organic materials, and while targeting 10 years of operation and shelf life, defines the practical operation regime between 110 and 120°C, assuming the protection from oxygen and humidity.
Practical limit to polymer longevity, with a ratio below 0.22 for 10 years of operation. Adapted from M. Bösch, ETH Diss. No. 14192, Electro-Optic Polymers, Photochemical Stability and In-Line Modulator
High-Temperature Storage (HTS)
Long-term storage at 85°C provides an excellent way to demonstrate the ever improving encapsulation technology. Among the different electrical and optical properties that are evaluated, the key metric for aging is the half-wave voltage Vπ, therefore only this one is discussed here.
Find here the newest results of a normalized Vπ for plasmonic MZMs stored at 85°C and measured repeatedly. The last measurement done after 1000 hours and a single-term exponential was fit to the averaged data points. The exponential convergence is in line with theoretical considerations, and the confidence intervals are pleasantly narrow.
HTS, 85°C, change of Vπ less than 5% in 1000 hours
