Electrochemical optical actuators: Controlling the light through ions

The insertion of mobile ions and coupled changes of electron concentration are exploited to induce a non-volatile and reversible change of the optical properties of mixed ionic and electronic conductors (MIECs). The physical mechanisms responsible for the change of the real and imaginary part of the MIECs' refractive index upon ion-intercalation are extensively investigated in the visible and near-IR range. Applications of the proposed electrochemically driven optical actuators are discussed for the manipulation of the light in an optical chip.