Electronics at Optical Frequencies: From Key Principles to Applications

Electronics has profoundly shaped modern society, ranging from telecommunications to precision measurements in scientific applications. Traditionally, electronics operates in the microwave to terahertz range, with transistors now approaching sub-picosecond switching times. Recent breakthroughs in ultrafast optics^1,2, however, have opened pathways towards operation at petahertz frequencies. Nevertheless, substantial challenges remain before electronics operating at optical frequencies can become a reality.

In this presentation, I will outline key principles essential for realizing optical frequency electronics, focusing particularly on electric-field rectification in gas- and solid-phase media. Additionally, I will discuss cutting-edge applications enabled by current technology, including phase detection³ and field-resolved spectroscopy^4,5. Finally, I will provide a perspective on future opportunities, ongoing challenges, and some open questions.

1. Krüger, M., Schenk, M. & Hommelhoff, P. Attosecond control of electrons emitted from a nanoscale metal tip. Nature 475, 78–81 (2011).

2. Ludwig, M. et al. Sub-femtosecond electron transport in a nanoscale gap. Nat. Phys. 16, 341–345 (2020).

3. Ritzkowsky, F. et al. On-chip petahertz electronics for single-shot phase detection. Nat Commun 15, 10179 (2024).

4. Bionta, M. R. et al. On-chip sampling of optical fields with attosecond resolution. Nat. Photonics 15, 456–460 (2021).

5. Yeung, M. et al. Lightwave-electronic harmonic frequency mixing. Science Advances 10, eadq0642 (2024).