Efficient and high-speed silicon Mach-Zehnder modulator at 2 μm wavelengths

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Communications
• Materials Science

Background:

• The 2-μm waveband shows potential for advanced optical communications.
• High-speed signaling (beyond 100 Gbit/s) is challenging at 2 μm due to modulator bandwidth limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a high-speed silicon photonic Mach-Zehnder Modulator (MZM) for the 2-μm waveband.
• To overcome existing bandwidth limitations in electro-optic modulators for this spectral range.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 35-GHz silicon photonic Mach-Zehnder Modulator (MZM) using a standard multi-project wafer process.
• Experimental achievement of on-chip modulation at 1976 nm wavelength.

Main Results:

• Achieved up to 100 Gbit/s on-chip modulation, limited by receiver bandwidth.
• Measured a modulation efficiency of 0.82 V·cm.
• Established a benchmark modulation speed for silicon modulators around 2 μm.

Conclusions:

• The demonstrated silicon photonic MZM enables high-speed modulation at the 2-μm waveband.
• This work represents a significant advancement for silicon modulators in this spectral region.
• Future work could focus on receiver-side improvements to fully utilize modulator capabilities.