Open AccessHigh speed silicon microring modulator employing dynamic intracavity energy balance
Author(s) -
Yunchu Li,
Lawrence S. Stewart,
P.D. Dapkus
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.20.007404
Subject(s) - extinction ratio , optics , laser linewidth , materials science , insertion loss , modulation (music) , resonator , coupling loss , bandwidth (computing) , physics , optoelectronics , telecommunications , optical fiber , wavelength , laser , computer science , acoustics
High speed coupling-modulation of a microring-based light drop structure is proposed, which removes severe signal distortion due to intracavity energy depletion and separates the modulation speed from the resonator linewidth restriction. Extinction ratio improvement from <1 dB to >20 dB with 40 Gb/s non-return-to-zero (NRZ) signals is obtained with 25 times smaller drive voltage. The tolerance to active ring propagation loss is increased from 5 dB/cm to over 25 dB/cm with less than 5% modulation bandwidth reduction. The possibility of obtaining 160 Gb/s NRZ signal with no more than 4 V drive voltage and less than 5 dB insertion loss is highlighted.