Simplified modeling and optimization of silicon modulators based on free-carrier plasma dispersion effect

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Semiconductor Devices
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Silicon phase modulators are crucial components in optical communication systems.
• Accurate and efficient modeling is essential for optimizing modulator performance.
• Traditional simulation methods, like TCAD, are computationally intensive and time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a simplified silicon phase modulator model.
• To reduce computational effort and simulation time.
• To enable fast optimization of modulator parameters without specialized software.

Main Methods:

• Development of a simplified silicon phase modulator model.
• Implementation of the model in Phoenix Optodesigner optical software.
• Validation of the model's accuracy and efficiency.

Main Results:

• The simplified model achieves favorable accuracy.
• Computational effort is substantially reduced compared to TCAD simulations.
• Simulation time decreased by a factor of 6 for lateral PN junction modulators and by two orders of magnitude for interdigitated PN junction modulators.
• The model was successfully implemented for optimizing silicon phase shifters.

Conclusions:

• The presented simplified model provides an efficient and accurate alternative for silicon phase modulator design.
• This approach facilitates rapid optimization of modulators for diverse applications.
• The model shows significant potential for simulating complex structures like interdigitated PN junctions.