Open AccessA 25 ns switching time MachZehnder modulator in as-deposited a-Si:H
Author(s) -
Sandro Rao,
Giuseppe Coppola,
Mariano Gioffrè,
Francesco G. Della Corte
Publication year - 2012
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.20.009351
Subject(s) - materials science , optics , biasing , electro optic modulator , refractive index , optoelectronics , microelectronics , mach–zehnder interferometer , photonics , modulation (music) , fabrication , silicon , dispersion (optics) , optical modulator , voltage , phase modulation , interferometry , physics , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics , phase noise , acoustics
A very simple and fast Mach-Zehnder electro-optic modulator based on a p-i-n configuration, operating at λ = 1.55 μm, has been fabricated at 170 °C using the low cost technology of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). In spite of the device simplicity, refractive index modulation was achieved through the free carrier dispersion effect resulting in characteristic rise and fall times of ~2.5 ns. By reverse biasing the p-i-n device, the voltage-length product was estimated to be V(π)∙L(π) = 40 V∙cm both from static and dynamic measurements. Such bandwidth performance in as-deposited a-Si:H demonstrates the potential of this material for the fabrication of fast active photonic devices integrated on standard microelectronic substrates.