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Optics Express

Optics Express

  • Editor: C. Martijn de Sterke
  • Vol. 19, Iss. 5 — Feb. 28, 2011
  • pp: 4485–4500

Optics InfoBase > Optics Express > Volume 19 > Issue 5 > Page 4485

Broadband linearized silicon modulator

Anatol Khilo, Cheryl M. Sorace, and Franz X. Kärtner  »View Author Affiliations


Optics Express, Vol. 19, Issue 5, pp. 4485-4500 (2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.004485


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Abstract

A scheme to achieve a wideband linearized silicon Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator is proposed. The modulator consists of a single MZ interferometer with identical reverse-biased silicon diode phase shifters in both arms, driven in a push-pull configuration. It is shown that the 3rd order nonlinearity of the modulator can be eliminated by canceling the nonlinearities from the silicon phase shifters and the MZ transfer function against each other. The 2nd order nonlinearity is simultaneously eliminated by differential detection or operation away from the quadrature point. As a result, the linearity of the proposed silicon modulator greatly exceeds the linearity of a conventional MZ modulator with ideal, linear (e.g. LiNbO3) phase shifters. The simplicity and large optical and RF bandwidth of the proposed modulator make it attractive for analog photonic applications.

© 2011 OSA

OCIS Codes
(060.2360) Fiber optics and optical communications : Fiber optics links and subsystems
(070.1170) Fourier optics and signal processing : Analog optical signal processing
(250.7360) Optoelectronics : Waveguide modulators
(060.5625) Fiber optics and optical communications : Radio frequency photonics
(130.4110) Integrated optics : Modulators

ToC Category:
Integrated Optics

History
Original Manuscript: January 4, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: February 15, 2011
Published: February 23, 2011

Citation
Anatol Khilo, Cheryl M. Sorace, and Franz X. Kärtner, "Broadband linearized silicon modulator," Opt. Express 19, 4485-4500 (2011)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-19-5-4485


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