Open AccessPockels effect based fully integrated, strained silicon electro-optic modulator
Author(s) -
Bartos Chmielak,
Michael Waldow,
Christopher Matheisen,
Christian Ripperda,
Jens Bolten,
T. Wahlbrink,
M. Nagel,
Florian Merget,
H. Kurz
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.19.017212
Subject(s) - pockels effect , materials science , optics , silicon , electro optic modulator , modulation (music) , waveguide , refractive index , optical modulator , optoelectronics , terahertz radiation , raman spectroscopy , silicon photonics , phase modulation , physics , phase noise , acoustics , laser
We demonstrate for the first time a fully integrated electro-optic modulator based on locally strained silicon rib-waveguides. By depositing a Si3N4 strain layer directly on top of the silicon waveguide the silicon crystal is asymmetrically distorted. Thus its inversion symmetry is broken and a linear electro-optic effect is induced. Electro-optic characterization yields a record high value χ(2)(yyz) = 122 pm/V for the second-order susceptibility of the strained silicon waveguide and a strict linear dependence between the applied modulation voltage V(mod) and the resulting effective index change Δn(eff). Spatially resolved micro-Raman and terahertz (THz) difference frequency generation (DFG) experiments provide in-depth insight into the origin of the electro-optic effect by correlating the local strain distribution with the observed second-order optical activity.