An Open-Source Multifunctional Testing Platform for Optical Phase Change Materials

Owing to their unique tunable optical properties, chalcogenide phase change materials are increasingly being investigated for optics and photonics applications. However, in situ characterization of their phase transition characteristics is a capability that remains inaccessible to many researchers. Herein, a multifunctional silicon microheater platform capable of in situ measurement of structural, kinetic, optical, and thermal properties of these materials is introduced. The platform can be fabricated leveraging industry-standard silicon foundry manufacturing processes. This platform is fully open-sourced, including complete hardware design and associated software codes. Chalcogenide phase change materials show great promise for tunable nanophotonic devices. An open-source electrical switching platform enabling in situ, high-throughput, and multimodal testing of phase change materials is presented. The platform will accelerate the discovery and characterization of new phase change materials and facilitate their integration with on-chip photonic devices.image (c) 2023 WILEY-VCH GmbH