Low-Voltage, Compact, Depletion-Mode, Silicon Mach-Zehnder Modulator

• Published in: IEEE journal of selected topics in quantum electronics Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 159 - 164
• Main Authors: Watts, M.R., Zortman, W.A., Trotter, D.C., Young, R.W., Lentine, A.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-01-2010; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Bandwidth; Diodes; Laboratories; Legged locomotion; MOS capacitors; Optical modulation; Optical refraction; P-n junctions; Resonance; Silicon; Temperature sensors
• ISSN: 1077-260X; 1558-4542
• DOI: 10.1109/JSTQE.2009.2035059

Through rigorous process, electrical, and optical simulations, we develop a new silicon depletion-mode vertical p-n junction phase-modulator implemented in Mach-Zehnder modulator configuration, enabling an ultralow measured V ¿ L of only ~ 1 V·cm. Further, in a 500-¿m-long lumped element device, we demonstrate a 10-Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero data transmission with wide-open complementary output eye diagrams without the use of signal preemphasis.