Unveiling the Pockels coefficient of ferroelectric nitride ScAlN

Nitride ferroelectrics have recently emerged as promising alternatives to oxide ferroelectrics due to their compatibility with mainstream semiconductor processing. ScAlN, in particular, has exhibited remarkable piezoelectric coupling strength (K²) comparable to that of lithium niobate, making it a valuable choice for RF filters in wireless communications. Recently, ScAlN has sparked interest in its use for nanophotonic devices, chiefly due to its large bandgap facilitating operation in blue wavelengths coupled with promises of enhanced nonlinear optical properties such as a large second-order susceptibility (χ⁽²⁾). It is still an open question whether ScAlN can outperform oxide ferroelectrics concerning the Pockels effect—an electro-optic coupling extensively utilized in optical communications devices. In this paper, we present a comprehensive theoretical analysis and experimental demonstration of ScAlN’s Pockels effect. Our findings reveal that the electro-optic coupling of ScAlN, despite being weak at low Sc concentration, may be significantly enhanced and exceed LiNbO₃ at high levels of Sc doping, which points the direction of continued research efforts to unlock the full potential of ScAlN.