Stable, highly nonlinear amorphous silicon nanowires with very low nonlinear absorption

The nonlinear characteristics of hydrogenated amorphous silicon nanowires are experimentally demonstrated. A high nonlinear refractive index, n2=1.19 x 10-17 m2/W, combined with a low two-photon absorption, 0.14 x 10-11 m/W, resulted in a high nonlinear FOM of 5.5. Furthermore, systematic studies over hours of operational time under 2.2W of pulse peak power revealed no degradation of the optical response.