A low-power high-speed InP microdisk modulator heterogeneously integrated on a SOI waveguide

Area of Science:

• Integrated photonics
• Semiconductor device physics
• Optical communications

Background:

• Silicon photonics is a key technology for optical communications.
• Indium phosphide (InP) based devices offer unique optoelectronic properties.
• Heterogeneous integration enables combining different material functionalities on a single platform.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the modulation performance of InP microdisk modulators integrated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguides.
• To evaluate the static and dynamic performance, including speed, power consumption, and bit-error rate.
• To compare the performance against commercial modulators and state-of-the-art integrated modulator concepts.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of InP microdisk modulators heterogeneously integrated on SOI waveguides.
• Static characterization of extinction ratios.
• Dynamic operation testing up to 10 Gb/s with bit-error rate (BER) measurements.
• Analysis of power penalties and power consumption.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated static extinction ratios and dynamic operation up to 10 Gb/s.
• Achieved bit-error rates below 1 × 10(-9) at 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 Gb/s.
• InP microdisk modulators exhibit low-power, low-voltage operation with a small footprint and high speed, comparable to commercial modulators.

Conclusions:

• InP microdisk modulators are a promising technology for high-performance integrated photonic circuits.
• The devices offer a compelling combination of speed, low power consumption, and small size.
• Compatibility with existing laser and detector fabrication processes makes them attractive for co-integration in advanced photonic systems.