  We propose here a new platform for a realization of novel nonvolatile optical
switching devices that takes an advantage of high field confinement provided by
plasmonics and multi-state programming capabilities of chalcogenide phase
change materials. A high reduction in the overall energy consumption consists
of a high field enhancement provided by plasmonic that allow to lower the
switching energies and implementation of phase change materials that allow to
operate under a zero-static power consumption. A combination of plasmonics and
phase change materials provide additionally an essential improvement in terms
of a switching time, attenuation contrast and possibility to perform a phase
shift with the wide bandgap phase change materials. In most of the all-optical
switching photonic devices, a switching mechanism is realized optically through
heating of phase change materials. Here, two stage heating process is proposed
that is based on the absorption of light by phase change materials itself, and
a heat transfer from the metal stripe under an absorption of light by a metal.
Thus, compared to any other previously presented optical switches, even a wide
bandgap phase change materials that show zero absorption of light can be
implemented in the proposed structure. The proposed plasmonic waveguide
arrangement is extremely sensitive to any changes of the phase change material
properties, thus, even a minor change of temperature provides an essential
change in the transmitted light.
