Breaking the energy-bandwidth limit of electro-optic modulators: Theory and a device proposal

We analytically derive the energy-bandwidth limit for electro-optic modulators based on intra-cavity index modulation, and propose a dual cavity modulator using coupling modulation to simultaneously achieve high bandwidth (80 GHz) and ultra-low energy-per-bit (0.26 aJ).

[1]  Thomas L. Koch.  Energy scaling in silicon photonic data encoding , 2011, 8th IEEE International Conference on Group IV Photonics.

[2]  S. Xiao,et al.  Compact silicon microring resonators with ultra-low propagation loss in the C band. , 2007, Optics express.

[3]  Kazumi Wada,et al.  Design of monolithically integrated GeSi electro-absorption modulators and photodetectors on a SOI platform. , 2007, Optics express.

[4]  R. Ho,et al.  Ultra-low-energy all-CMOS modulator integrated with driver. , 2010, Optics express.

[5]  Wesley D Sacher,et al.  Dynamics of microring resonator modulators. , 2008, Optics express.

[6]  Mo Li,et al.  Flexible and tunable silicon photonic circuits on plastic substrates , 2012, Scientific Reports.

[7]  Geert Morthier,et al.  A low-power high-speed InP microdisk modulator heterogeneously integrated on a SOI waveguide. , 2012, Optics express.

[8]  Lidija Sekaric,et al.  Optical modulation using anti-crossing between paired amplitude and phase resonators. , 2007, Optics express.

[9]  Tong Ye,et al.  On Power Consumption of Silicon-Microring-Based Optical Modulators , 2010, Journal of Lightwave Technology.

[10]  W. Cai,et al.  Compact, high-speed and power-efficient electrooptic plasmonic modulators. , 2009, Nano letters.

[11]  Muping Song,et al.  Silicon-Based Microring Resonator Modulators for Intensity Modulation , 2010, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics.

[12]  P. Fauchet,et al.  Ultra-low power modulators using MOS depletion in a high-Q SiO₂-clad silicon 2-D photonic crystal resonator. , 2010, Optics express.

[13]  Shanhui Fan,et al.  Lossless intensity modulation in integrated photonics. , 2012, Optics express.

[14]  Antao Chen,et al.  Electro-optic coefficients of 500 pm/V and beyond for organic materials , 2005, SPIE Optics + Photonics.

[15]  Muping Song,et al.  Nonlinear Distortion in a Silicon Microring-Based Electro-Optic Modulator for Analog Optical Links , 2010, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics.

[16]  Anthony L Lentine,et al.  Vertical junction silicon microdisk modulators and switches. , 2011, Optics express.

[17]  N. Feng,et al.  Horizontal single and multiple slot waveguides: optical transmission at λ=1550 nm , 2007 .

[18]  R.M. Osgood,et al.  Fundamental limitations of optical resonator based high-speed EO modulators , 2002, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[19]  A. Yariv.  Universal relations for coupling of optical power between microresonators and dielectric waveguides , 2000 .

[20]  Yoshinori Tanaka,et al.  Dynamic control of the Q factor in a photonic crystal nanocavity. , 2007, Nature materials.

[21]  X. Zhang,et al.  Ultra-compact silicon nanophotonic modulator with broadband response , 2012 .

[22]  Ashok V. Krishnamoorthy,et al.  High speed GeSi electro-absorption modulator at 1550 nm wavelength on SOI waveguide. , 2012, Optics express.

[23]  H. Haus.  Waves and fields in optoelectronics , 1983 .

[24]  J. Michel,et al.  Athermal operation of silicon waveguides: spectral, second order and footprint dependencies. , 2010, Optics express.

[25]  W M J Green,et al.  Coupling modulation of microrings at rates beyond the linewidth limit. , 2013, Optics express.

[26]  A. Yariv.  Critical coupling and its control in optical waveguide-ring resonator systems , 2002, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[27]  W. Sacher,et al.  Characteristics of Microring Resonators With Waveguide-Resonator Coupling Modulation , 2009, Journal of Lightwave Technology.

[28]  Steven G. Johnson,et al.  Photonic Crystals: Molding the Flow of Light , 1995 .

[29]  H. Thacker,et al.  Ultralow-loss, high-density SOI optical waveguide routing for macrochip interconnects. , 2012, Optics express.

[30]  Volker J. Sorger,et al.  A Sub-$\lambda$-Size Modulator Beyond the Efficiency-Loss Limit , 2013, IEEE Photonics Journal.

[31]  Xuezhe Zheng,et al.  Low Vpp, ultralow-energy, compact, high-speed silicon electro-optic modulator. , 2009, Optics express.

[32]  David A. B. Miller,et al.  Device Requirements for Optical Interconnects to Silicon Chips , 2009, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[33]  Po-Tsung Lee,et al.  Photonic crystal horizontally slotted nanobeam cavity for silicon-based nanolasers. , 2012, Optics letters.

[34]  Trimming of Athermal Silicon Resonators , 2012 .

[35]  Michal Lipson,et al.  Ultra-low voltage, ultra-small mode volume silicon microring modulator. , 2010, Optics express.

[36]  David A B Miller,et al.  Energy consumption in optical modulators for interconnects. , 2012, Optics express.

[37]  Kathleen Richardson,et al.  Photo-induced trimming of coupled ring-resonator filters and delay lines in As2S3 chalcogenide glass. , 2011, Optics letters.