Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026
11:08
Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
Published on: November 30, 2012
High speed slow-light Michelson interferometer modulators with dual-inductor peaking enhancement
Optics Express
|June 11, 2026
Summary
We developed a novel electro-optic modulator using slow-light Bragg waveguides and a Michelson interferometer on silicon. This device achieves high modulation efficiency and a 48 GHz bandwidth, supporting 100 Gbit/s optical data rates.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optoelectronics
- Integrated Optics
- Semiconductor Devices
Background:
- Electro-optic modulators are crucial for high-speed optical communication.
- Existing modulators face trade-offs between efficiency, footprint, and bandwidth.
- Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform offers advantages for integrated photonic devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel electro-optic modulator design integrating slow-light Bragg waveguides with a Michelson interferometer on an SOI platform.
- To enhance modulation efficiency and reduce device footprint using the slow-light effect.
- To improve device bandwidth through dual-inductor peaking.
Main Methods:
- Integration of slow-light Bragg waveguides and a Michelson interferometer on a silicon-on-insulator platform.
- Application of the slow-light effect to boost modulation efficiency.
- Implementation of dual-inductor peaking for bandwidth enhancement.
Main Results:
- Achieved an electro-optic 3-dB bandwidth of 48 GHz at 2 V reverse bias.
- Demonstrated a modulation efficiency of 0.26 V·cm.
- Successfully supported a 100 Gbit/s on-off keying (OOK) data rate.
Conclusions:
- The novel EO modulator design effectively leverages slow-light and dual-inductor peaking for improved performance.
- The device exhibits promising characteristics for high-speed optical interconnection applications.
- This work contributes to advancements in efficient and compact optical modulation technologies.
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