DC Kerr-driven silicon dual-ring modulator with high linearity, large extinction ratio, and wide bandwidth

We present a silicon dual-ring modulator (DMRM) that integrates the direct current (DC) Kerr effect with a dual-ring coupled resonance architecture, achieving high linearity, broad optical bandwidth, and a high extinction ratio. The DC Kerr effect complements the plasma dispersion effect to suppress high-order nonlinear distortions, while the dual-ring design extends the operational wavelength range and enhances the extinction ratio. Experimental results demonstrate a spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of 107 dB·Hz²/³ at a carrier frequency of 1 GHz, a 58 GHz electro-optic bandwidth, and a static extinction ratio exceeding 30 dB. These results highlight the potential of the proposed DMRM for high-speed, high-linearity optical interconnects in microwave photonic systems.