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Optics Express

Optics Express

  • Editor: C. Martijn de Sterke
  • Vol. 20, Iss. 11 — May. 21, 2012
  • pp: 12014–12020

Optics InfoBase > Optics Express > Volume 20 > Issue 11 > Page 12014

Ultralow drive voltage silicon traveling-wave modulator

Tom Baehr-Jones, Ran Ding, Yang Liu, Ali Ayazi, Thierry Pinguet, Nicholas C. Harris, Matt Streshinsky, Poshen Lee, Yi Zhang, Andy Eu-Jin Lim, Tsung-Yang Liow, Selin Hwee-Gee Teo, Guo-Qiang Lo, and Michael Hochberg  »View Author Affiliations


Optics Express, Vol. 20, Issue 11, pp. 12014-12020 (2012)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.20.012014


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Abstract

There has been great interest in the silicon platform as a material system for integrated photonics. A key challenge is the development of a low-power, low drive voltage, broadband modulator. Drive voltages at or below 1 Vpp are desirable for compatibility with CMOS processes. Here we demonstrate a CMOS-compatible broadband traveling-wave modulator based on a reverse-biased pn junction. We demonstrate operation with a drive voltage of 0.63 Vpp at 20 Gb/s, a significant improvement in the state of the art, with an RF energy consumption of only 200 fJ/bit.

© 2012 OSA

OCIS Codes
(250.3140) Optoelectronics : Integrated optoelectronic circuits
(250.7360) Optoelectronics : Waveguide modulators

ToC Category:
Optoelectronics

History
Original Manuscript: March 5, 2012
Revised Manuscript: April 24, 2012
Manuscript Accepted: April 24, 2012
Published: May 11, 2012

Citation
Tom Baehr-Jones, Ran Ding, Yang Liu, Ali Ayazi, Thierry Pinguet, Nicholas C. Harris, Matt Streshinsky, Poshen Lee, Yi Zhang, Andy Eu-Jin Lim, Tsung-Yang Liow, Selin Hwee-Gee Teo, Guo-Qiang Lo, and Michael Hochberg, "Ultralow drive voltage silicon traveling-wave modulator," Opt. Express 20, 12014-12020 (2012)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-20-11-12014


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