Open AccessUltrasensitive silicon photonic-crystal nanobeam electro-optical modulator: Design and simulation
Author(s) -
Joshua R. Hendrickson,
Richard A. Soref,
Julian Sweet,
Walter R. Buchwald
Publication year - 2014
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.22.003271
Subject(s) - resonator , extinction ratio , optics , photonic crystal , materials science , silicon on insulator , optoelectronics , modulation (music) , waveguide , optical modulator , refractive index , wavelength , photonic integrated circuit , silicon photonics , silicon , phase modulation , physics , acoustics , phase noise
Design and simulation results are presented for an ultralow switching energy, resonator based, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) electro-optical modulator. The nanowire waveguide and Q ~8500 resonator are seamlessly integrated via a high-transmission tapered 1D photonic crystal cavity waveguide structure. A lateral p-n junction of modulation length L(m) ~λ is used to alter the index of refraction and, therefore, shift the resonance wavelength via fast carrier depletion. Differential signaling of the device with ΔV ~0.6 Volts allows for a 6 dB extinction ratio at telecom wavelengths with an energy cost as low as 14 attojoules/bit.