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High-performance thin-film lithium niobate electro-optic modulator on a thick silica buffering layer
Optics Express
|May 4, 2026
Summary
High-performance thin-film lithium niobate modulators achieve 67 GHz bandwidth with enhanced efficiency. This breakthrough simplifies fabrication and overcomes key performance limitations for future optical systems.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Materials Science
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- High-speed electro-optic modulators are critical for advanced photonic integrated circuits.
- Thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) offers superior electro-optic properties but faces fabrication challenges.
- Existing designs often struggle with the voltage-bandwidth trade-off.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a high-performance TFLN Mach-Zehnder modulator.
- To simplify fabrication using a thick silica buried layer.
- To overcome the voltage-bandwidth trade-off for high-speed applications.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a TFLN Mach-Zehnder modulator on a thick silica buried layer.
- Implementation of periodic capacitively loaded traveling-wave electrodes.
- Characterization of modulation efficiency and bandwidth in the C-band.
Main Results:
- Achieved a modulation efficiency of 1.25 V·cm.
- Demonstrated minimal roll-off (1.3 dB) at a 67 GHz bandwidth.
- Successfully overcame the voltage-bandwidth trade-off.
Conclusions:
- The developed TFLN modulator offers a streamlined and scalable fabrication approach.
- The device exhibits high performance suitable for next-generation optical communications.
- This work paves the way for advanced optical signal processing and integrated photonics.
