Reconfigurable inverse designed phase-change photonics

Abstract: Chalcogenide phase-change materials (PCMs) offer a promising approach to programmable photonics thanks to their nonvolatile, reversible phase transitions and high refractive index contrast. However, conventional designs are limited by global phase control over entire PCM thin films between fully amorphous and fully crystalline states, which restricts device functionality and confines design flexibility and programmability. In this work, we present a novel approach that leverages pixel-level control of PCM in inverse-designed photonic devices, enabling highly reconfigurable, multi-functional operations. We integrate low-loss Sb2Se3 onto a multi-mode interferometer (MMI) and achieve precise, localized phase manipulation through direct laser writing. This technique allows for flexible programming of the photonic device by adjusting the PCM phase pattern rather than relying on global phase states, thereby enhancing device adaptability. As a proof of concept, we programmed the device as a wavelength-division multiplexer and subsequently reconfigured it into a mode-division multiplexer. Our results underscore the potential of combining inverse design with pixel-wise tuning for next-generation programmable phase-change photonic systems.