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40 Gbit/s low-loss silicon optical modulator based on a pipin diode.
Melissa Ziebell1, Delphine Marris-Morini, Gilles Rasigade
1Institut d'Electronique Fondamentale, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS UMR 8622, Orsay, France.
Optics Express
|May 9, 2012
Summary
High-speed silicon optical modulators achieve 40 Gbit/s using carrier depletion in a pipin diode. This design balances efficiency, speed, and low optical loss for advanced photonic integrated circuits.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Integrated Optics
- Semiconductor Devices
Background:
- Silicon photonics enables high-speed optical communication.
- Optical modulators are key components in photonic integrated circuits.
- Achieving high speed, efficiency, and low loss simultaneously is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate 40 Gbit/s low-loss silicon optical modulators.
- To optimize the trade-off between modulator efficiency, speed, and optical loss.
- To develop a fabrication process for precise device construction.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing the carrier depletion effect in a pipin diode.
- Embedding the diode within a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.
- Employing a self-aligned fabrication process for accurate p-doped region placement.
Main Results:
- Demonstration of 40 Gbit/s operation with low optical loss.
- A 4.7 mm phase shifter achieved a 6.6 dB extinction ratio with 6 dB loss.
- A 0.95 mm phase shifter achieved a 3.2 dB extinction ratio with 4.5 dB loss.
Conclusions:
- The pipin diode design offers a favorable balance of speed, efficiency, and low loss.
- The self-aligned fabrication process ensures precise device performance.
- These modulators are suitable for high-performance optical communication systems.
