Open AccessUltra-low-power carrier-depletion Mach-Zehnder silicon optical modulator
Author(s) -
Jianfeng Ding,
Hongtao Chen,
Lin Yang,
Lei Zhang,
Ruiqiang Ji,
Yonghui Tian,
Wenyue Zhu,
Yangyang Lü,
Peng Zhou,
Rui Min,
Mingbin Yu
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.20.007081
Subject(s) - materials science , electro optic modulator , optoelectronics , diode , optics , modulation (music) , figure of merit , silicon , optical modulator , phase modulation , physics , phase noise , acoustics
We demonstrate a 26 Gbit/s Mach-Zehnder silicon optical modulator. The doping concentration and profile are optimized, and a modulation efficiency with the figure of merit (VπL) of 1.28 V·cm is achieved. We design an 80-nm-wide intrinsic silicon gap between the p-type and n-type doped regions to reduce the capacitance of the diode and prevent the diode from working in a slow diffusion mode. Therefore, the modulator can be driven with a small differential voltage of 0.5 V with no bias. Without the elimination of the dissipated power of the series resistors and the reflected power of the electrical signal, the maximum power consumption is 3.8 mW.