We demonstrate error-free 80km transmission by a silicon carrier-depletion Mach-Zehnder modulator at 10Gbps and the power penalty is as low as 1.15dB. The devices were evaluated through the bit-error-rate characterizations under the system-level analysis. The silicon Mach-Zehnder modulator was also analyzed comparatively with a lithium niobate Mach-Zehnder modulator in back-to-back transmission and long-haul transmission, respectively, and verified the negative chirp parameter of the silicon modulator through the experiment. The result of low power penalty indicates a practical application for the silicon modulator in the middle- or long-distance transmission systems.

© 2012 OSA

1. L. C. Kimerling, D. Ahn, A. B. Apsel, M. Beals, D. Carothers, Y.-K. Chen, T. Conway, D. M. Gill, M. Grove, C.-Y. Hong, M. Lipson, J. Liu, J. Michel, D. Pan, S. S. Patel, A. T. Pomerene, M. Rasras, D. K. Sparacin, K.-Y. Tu, A. E. White, and C. W. Wong, “Electronic–photonic integrated circuits on the CMOS platform,” Proc. SPIE6125, 6–15 (2006).
2. A. Alduino and M. Paniccia, “Interconnects: Wiring electronics with light,” Nat. Photonics1(3), 153–155 (2007). [CrossRef]
3. I. A. Young, E. Mohammed, J. T. S. Liao, A. M. Kern, S. Palermo, B. A. Block, M. R. Reshotko, and P. L. D. Chang, “Optical I/O technology for tera-scale computing,” IEEE J. Solid-state Circuits45(1), 235–248 (2010). [CrossRef]
4. D. A. B. Miller, “Device requirements for optical interconnects to silicon chips,” Proc. IEEE97(7), 1166–1185 (2009). [CrossRef]
5. A. V. Krishnamoorthy, R. Ho, X. Zheng, H. Schwetman, J. Lexau, P. Koka, G. Li, I. Shubin, and J. E. Cunningham, “Computer systems based on silicon photonic interconnects,” Proc. IEEE97(7), 1337–1361 (2009). [CrossRef]
6. N. Kirman, M. Kirman, R. K. Dokania, J. F. Martinez, A. B. Apsel, M. A. Watkins, and D. H. Albonesi, “Leveraging optical technology in future bus-based chip multiprocessors,” Proc. International Symposium on Microarchitecture, 492–503 (2006).
7. G. T. Reed, G. Mashanovich, F. Y. Gardes, and D. J. Thomson, “Silicon optical modulators,” Nat. Photonics4(8), 518–526 (2010). [CrossRef]
8. A. Liu, R. Jones, L. Liao, D. Samara-Rubio, D. Rubin, O. Cohen, R. Nicolaescu, and M. Paniccia, “A high-speed silicon optical modulator based on a metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor,” Nature427(6975), 615–618 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. A. Biberman and K. Bergman, “Optical interconnection networks for high-performance computing systems,” Rep. Prog. Phys.75(4), 046402 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. T. Y. Liow, K. W. Ang, Q. Fang, J. F. Song, Y. Z. Xiong, M. B. Yu, G. Q. Lo, and D. L. Kwong, “Silicon modulators and germanium photodetectors on SOI monolithic integration, compatibility, and performance optimization,” IEEE Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.16(1), 307–315 (2010). [CrossRef]
11. A. Biberman, S. Manipatruni, N. Ophir, L. Chen, M. Lipson, and K. Bergman, “First demonstration of long-haul transmission using silicon microring modulators,” Opt. Express18(15), 15544–15552 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. W. A. Zortman, A. L. Lentine, D. C. Trotter, and M. R. Watts, “Long-Distance Demonstration and Modeling of Low-Power Silicon Microdisk Modulators,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.23(12), 819–821 (2011). [CrossRef]
13. L. Yang, H. Chen, and J. Ding, “12.5 Gb/s carrier-injection silicon Mach-Zehnder optical modulator with high optical bandwidth,” Proc. GroupIV, 129–131 (2012).
14. N.-N. Feng, S. Liao, D. Feng, P. Dong, D. Zheng, H. Liang, R. Shafiiha, G. Li, J. E. Cunningham, A. V. Krishnamoorthy, and M. Asghari, “High speed carrier-depletion modulators with 1.4V-cm V(π)L integrated on 0.25microm silicon-on-insulator waveguides,” Opt. Express18(8), 7994–7999 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. J. Ding, H. Chen, L. Yang, L. Zhang, R. Ji, Y. Tian, W. Zhu, Y. Lu, P. Zhou, and R. Min, “Low-voltage, high-extinction-ratio, Mach-Zehnder silicon optical modulator for CMOS-compatible integration,” Opt. Express20(3), 3209–3218 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. Y. Wei, Y. Zhao, J. Yang, M. Wang, and X. Jiang, “Chirp characteristics of silicon Mach–Zehnder modulator under small-signal modulation,” J. Lightwave Technol.29(7), 1011–1017 (2011). [CrossRef]
17. L. Chen, P. Dong, and Y. K. Chen, “Chirp and Dispersion Tolerance of a Single-Drive Push–Pull Silicon Modulator at 28 Gb/s,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.24(11), 936–938 (2012). [CrossRef]
18. A. H. Gnauck, S. K. Korotky, J. J. Veselka, J. Nagel, C. T. Kemmerer, W. J. Minford, and D. T. Moser, “Dispersion Penalty Reduction Using an Optical Modulator with Adjustable Chirp,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.3(10), 916–918 (1991). [CrossRef]
19. P. S. André and J. L. Pinto, “Optimising the Operation Characteristics of a LiNbO3 based Mach-Zehnder Modulator for 10 Gbit/s Lightwave Systems,” J. Opt. Commun.22, 767–769 (2001).
20. G. P. Agrawal, Fiber-Optic Communication Systems, 2nd ed. (Hoboken, NJ Wiley, 1997).

IEEE J. Solid-state Circuits

• I. A. Young, E. Mohammed, J. T. S. Liao, A. M. Kern, S. Palermo, B. A. Block, M. R. Reshotko, and P. L. D. Chang, “Optical I/O technology for tera-scale computing,” IEEE J. Solid-state Circuits45(1), 235–248 (2010). [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.

• W. A. Zortman, A. L. Lentine, D. C. Trotter, and M. R. Watts, “Long-Distance Demonstration and Modeling of Low-Power Silicon Microdisk Modulators,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.23(12), 819–821 (2011). [CrossRef]
• L. Chen, P. Dong, and Y. K. Chen, “Chirp and Dispersion Tolerance of a Single-Drive Push–Pull Silicon Modulator at 28 Gb/s,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.24(11), 936–938 (2012). [CrossRef]
• A. H. Gnauck, S. K. Korotky, J. J. Veselka, J. Nagel, C. T. Kemmerer, W. J. Minford, and D. T. Moser, “Dispersion Penalty Reduction Using an Optical Modulator with Adjustable Chirp,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.3(10), 916–918 (1991). [CrossRef]

IEEE Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.

• T. Y. Liow, K. W. Ang, Q. Fang, J. F. Song, Y. Z. Xiong, M. B. Yu, G. Q. Lo, and D. L. Kwong, “Silicon modulators and germanium photodetectors on SOI monolithic integration, compatibility, and performance optimization,” IEEE Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.16(1), 307–315 (2010). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• Y. Wei, Y. Zhao, J. Yang, M. Wang, and X. Jiang, “Chirp characteristics of silicon Mach–Zehnder modulator under small-signal modulation,” J. Lightwave Technol.29(7), 1011–1017 (2011). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Commun.

• P. S. André and J. L. Pinto, “Optimising the Operation Characteristics of a LiNbO3 based Mach-Zehnder Modulator for 10 Gbit/s Lightwave Systems,” J. Opt. Commun.22, 767–769 (2001).

Nat. Photonics

• A. Alduino and M. Paniccia, “Interconnects: Wiring electronics with light,” Nat. Photonics1(3), 153–155 (2007). [CrossRef]
• G. T. Reed, G. Mashanovich, F. Y. Gardes, and D. J. Thomson, “Silicon optical modulators,” Nat. Photonics4(8), 518–526 (2010). [CrossRef]

Nature

• A. Liu, R. Jones, L. Liao, D. Samara-Rubio, D. Rubin, O. Cohen, R. Nicolaescu, and M. Paniccia, “A high-speed silicon optical modulator based on a metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor,” Nature427(6975), 615–618 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Express

• A. Biberman, S. Manipatruni, N. Ophir, L. Chen, M. Lipson, and K. Bergman, “First demonstration of long-haul transmission using silicon microring modulators,” Opt. Express18(15), 15544–15552 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• N.-N. Feng, S. Liao, D. Feng, P. Dong, D. Zheng, H. Liang, R. Shafiiha, G. Li, J. E. Cunningham, A. V. Krishnamoorthy, and M. Asghari, “High speed carrier-depletion modulators with 1.4V-cm V(π)L integrated on 0.25microm silicon-on-insulator waveguides,” Opt. Express18(8), 7994–7999 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J. Ding, H. Chen, L. Yang, L. Zhang, R. Ji, Y. Tian, W. Zhu, Y. Lu, P. Zhou, and R. Min, “Low-voltage, high-extinction-ratio, Mach-Zehnder silicon optical modulator for CMOS-compatible integration,” Opt. Express20(3), 3209–3218 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Proc. Group

• L. Yang, H. Chen, and J. Ding, “12.5 Gb/s carrier-injection silicon Mach-Zehnder optical modulator with high optical bandwidth,” Proc. GroupIV, 129–131 (2012).

Proc. IEEE

• D. A. B. Miller, “Device requirements for optical interconnects to silicon chips,” Proc. IEEE97(7), 1166–1185 (2009). [CrossRef]
• A. V. Krishnamoorthy, R. Ho, X. Zheng, H. Schwetman, J. Lexau, P. Koka, G. Li, I. Shubin, and J. E. Cunningham, “Computer systems based on silicon photonic interconnects,” Proc. IEEE97(7), 1337–1361 (2009). [CrossRef]

Proc. SPIE

• L. C. Kimerling, D. Ahn, A. B. Apsel, M. Beals, D. Carothers, Y.-K. Chen, T. Conway, D. M. Gill, M. Grove, C.-Y. Hong, M. Lipson, J. Liu, J. Michel, D. Pan, S. S. Patel, A. T. Pomerene, M. Rasras, D. K. Sparacin, K.-Y. Tu, A. E. White, and C. W. Wong, “Electronic–photonic integrated circuits on the CMOS platform,” Proc. SPIE6125, 6–15 (2006).

Rep. Prog. Phys.

• A. Biberman and K. Bergman, “Optical interconnection networks for high-performance computing systems,” Rep. Prog. Phys.75(4), 046402 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• N. Kirman, M. Kirman, R. K. Dokania, J. F. Martinez, A. B. Apsel, M. A. Watkins, and D. H. Albonesi, “Leveraging optical technology in future bus-based chip multiprocessors,” Proc. International Symposium on Microarchitecture, 492–503 (2006).
• G. P. Agrawal, Fiber-Optic Communication Systems, 2nd ed. (Hoboken, NJ Wiley, 1997).

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