High modulation efficiency micro-ring modulator with low driving voltage for high speed optical interconnection

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Integrated Optics
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• Silicon micro-ring modulators (MRMs) are crucial components in high-speed optical communication.
• Improving modulation efficiency and reducing power consumption in MRMs are key research challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a depletion mode silicon micro-ring modulator with enhanced modulation efficiency and high data rates.
• To investigate the impact of a meandering doping structure on MRM performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a depletion mode silicon micro-ring modulator.
• Implementation of a meandering doping structure to optimize carrier overlap.
• Characterization of modulation efficiency, quality factor, electro-optical bandwidth, and power consumption.

Main Results:

• Achieved a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) modulation rate of 128 Gb/s.
• Demonstrated a high modulation efficiency of 33.5 pm/V, a ~38% improvement over conventional designs.
• Obtained a quality factor of ~5200 and an electro-optical bandwidth exceeding 67 GHz (up to 110 GHz with optical peaking).
• Reported a low power consumption of ~8.54 fJ/bit at 128 Gb/s with a drive voltage of 1.36 V.

Conclusions:

• The meandering doping structure significantly enhances MRM modulation efficiency and performance.
• The demonstrated MRM is a promising candidate for next-generation high-speed optical interconnects.
• This work contributes to the advancement of energy-efficient silicon photonic devices.