Electro‐optic polymer/titanium dioxide hybrid core ring resonator modulators

Compact electro‐optic (EO) modulators are desirable for a number of applications. In this study, a ring modulator has been fabricated in the titanium dioxide (TiO₂) core and EO polymer cladding waveguide structure. A 250‐nm thick TiO₂ core was utilized to minimize the ring radius down to 100 μm, to avoid using the top cladding between the EO polymer and the electrode, and to improve the poling efficiency. The resonance obtained by the ring modulator was observed to shift by 0.02 nm/V due to the enhanced in‐device EO coefficient of 105 pm/V. A modulation depth of 3 dB was observed at the frequency response function at 20 kHz using 2‐V V_p–p clock signal.     

Broadband 10 Gb/s operation of graphene electro‐absorption modulator on silicon

High performance integrated optical modulators are highly desired for future optical interconnects. The ultra‐high bandwidth and broadband operation potentially offered by graphene based electro‐absorption modulators has attracted a lot of attention in the photonics community recently. In this work, we theoretically evaluate the true potential of such modulators and illustrate this with experimental results for a silicon integrated graphene optical electro‐absorption modulator capable of broadband 10 Gb/s modulation speed. The measured results agree very well with theoretical predictions. A low insertion loss of 3.8 dB at 1580 nm and a low drive voltage of 2.5 V combined with broadband and athermal operation were obtained for a 50 μm‐length hybrid graphene‐Si device. The peak modulation efficiency of the device is 1.5 dB/V. This robust device is challenging best‐in‐class Si (Ge) modulators for future chip‐level optical interconnects.     

Micro‐structured integrated electro‐optic LiNbO3 modulators

In this paper, we will review the state‐of‐the‐art of LiNbO₃ based integrated electro‐optic modulators and will show how micro‐structuring techniques such as etching, domain inversion and thin film processing can be used to realize new configurations which can take the performance to unprecedented levels. In particular, we will review recent results on the use of domain inversion on a micron scale and we report on the fabrication of a chirp‐free modulator having ∼ 2 V switching voltage and bandwidth of 15 GHz designed by placing the waveguide arms of the Mach‐Zehnder interferometer in opposite domain oriented regions. We also review some of the new modulation formats (e.g. DQPSK) that can represent an application development of the presented micro‐structured devices. Finally, we address the issue of the integration of the modulator chip in a transmitter board comprising tunable laser, bias‐control electronics and RF driver. The requirements of integration can even push further the reduction in size of modulator chips, thus making more crucial the use of micro‐ and nano‐structuring techniques.     

Optical modulator using metal-oxide-semiconductor type Si ring resonator

Electric-field drive optical modulators using a Si ring resonator were fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. The fabricated resonators consisted of Si waveguides with width and thickness of 1.0 and 0.3 μm, respectively. In order to induce the linear electro-optic (EO) effect in the Si core layer, the strain was applied by covering the layer with Si₃N₄ film (0.26 μm thick) deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) at 750 °C. The vertical electric-field was applied to the Si waveguide through the top and bottom cladding layers, and the optical output from the drop port at the resonance wavelength was measured. At a wavelength of 1501.6 nm, the optical modulation of 33% was obtained at 200V (electric-field at the silicon surface ∼3 × 10⁵ V/cm, nearly the breakdown field). The resonance wavelength was shifted toward the short wavelength side by applying both positive and negative voltages, this shift was explained by carrier concentration modulation. The linear EO effect in the Si core layer was not observed, presumably because the strain in the Si core layer was too small.     

Tens of GHz Tantalum pentoxide‐based micro‐ring all‐optical modulator for Si photonics

A tantalum pentoxide‐based (Ta₂O₅‐based) micro‐ring all‐optical modulator was fabricated. The refractive index inside the micro‐ring cavity was modified using the Kerr effect by injecting a pumped pulse. The transmittance of the ring resonator was controlled to achieve all‐optical modulation at the wavelength of the injected probe. When 12 GHz pulses with a peak power of 1.2 W were coupled in the ring cavity, the transmission spectrum of the Ta₂O₅ resonator was red‐shifted by 0.04 nm because of the Kerr effect. The relationship between the modulation depth and gap of the Ta₂O₅ directional coupler is discussed. An optimized gap of 1100 nm was obtained, and a maximum buildup factor of 11.7 with 84% modulation depth was achieved. The nonlinear refractive index of Ta₂O₅ at 1.55 μm was estimated as 3.4 × 10^?14 cm²/W based on the Kerr effect, which is almost an order of magnitude higher than that of Si₃N₄. All results indicate that Ta₂O₅ has potential for use in nonlinear waveguide applications with modulation speeds as high as tens of GHz.

     

Optical Single-Sideband Modulators and Their Applications

We review our recent work in the implementation of optical single-sideband (OSSB) modulation and in the application of this modulation format to microwave photonics and optical testing systems. We have developed an enhanced OSSB modulator for wide-band operation, the so-called bidirectional OSSB modulator, and a simplification of this scheme for narrow-band applications. These OSSB modulators are based on the use of a standard single-electrode Mach-Zehnder electro-optic modulator (MZ-EOM) and passive fiber-optic components. In both designs, the OSSB operation is shown to be independent of the MZ-EOM bias. Therefore, the optical modulation depth at the output of the device can be enhanced using minimum transmission biasing to provide suppression of the optical carrier. Finally, we demonstrate the application of OSSB modulators to the improvement of microwave/millimeter-wave subcarrier multiplexing fiber-optic links and to narrow-band fiber radio systems. In addition, we analyzed the feasibility and the limitations of an optical vector network analysis technique based on OSSB modulation that can provide sub-picometer wavelength resolution.     

Optical Single-Sideband Modulators and Their Applications

We review our recent work in the implementation of optical single-sideband (OSSB) modulation and in the application of this modulation format to microwave photonics and optical testing systems. We have developed an enhanced OSSB modulator for wide-band operation, the so-called bidirectional OSSB modulator, and a simplification of this scheme for narrow-band applications. These OSSB modulators are based on the use of a standard single-electrode Mach-Zehnder electro-optic modulator (MZ-EOM) and passive fiber-optic components. In both designs, the OSSB operation is shown to be independent of the MZ-EOM bias. Therefore, the optical modulation depth at the output of the device can be enhanced using minimum transmission biasing to provide suppression of the optical carrier. Finally, we demonstrate the application of OSSB modulators to the improvement of microwave/millimeter-wave subcarrier multiplexing fiber-optic links and to narrow-band fiber radio systems. In addition, we analyzed the feasibility and the limitations of an optical vector network analysis technique based on OSSB modulation that can provide sub-picometer wavelength resolution.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Nonlinear Optical Polymers Containing Carbazole and Disperse Red Dye

Dye‐containing nonlinear optical (NLO) polymers were synthesized: (1) poly(3‐(2‐(3‐(2‐isocyanatopropan‐2‐yl)phenyl)‐2‐methylpropyl)‐4‐methyl‐1‐phenylpyrrolidine‐2,5‐dione), P[(DR1,Cz)MSt‐PMI], and (2) poly(9‐vinyl‐9H‐carbazole‐co‐disperse red 1), PAV[DR1‐Cz]. The synthesized NLO polymers were characterized by ¹H‐NMR, IR, and UV–VIS spectroscopy; differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The electro‐optic (EO) coefficients (r₃₃) and their NLO properties were evaluated by simple reflection and the Maker fringe method. The EO coefficients of P[(DR1,Cz)MSt‐PMI] and PAV[DR1‐Cz] were measured at 632.8 nm to be 106 and 46.6 pm/V, respectively. The second harmonic generation (SHG) coefficient (d₃₃) of P[(DR1,Cz)MSt‐PMI] was measured to be 71.25 pm/V.     

基于Add-drop型微环谐振腔的硅基高速电光调制器设计

相比于传统的All-pass型微环谐振腔硅基电光调制器, Add-drop型微环谐振腔可提供更多的设计自由度, 使调制器在不改变杂质掺杂浓度的情况下就能在调制带宽和消光比性能上获得均衡考虑. 本文设计了基于Add-drop型微环谐振腔的高速、且在低调制电压下实现大消光比的硅基电光调制器, 所用微环谐振腔的半径仅仅为20 μm. 重点分析了直波导与微环谐振腔的耦合对调制器性能的影响, 发现较小的Drop端耦合系数有利于消光比的提高, 但是不能同时达到最佳的调制带宽, 因此设计上存在一个带宽和消光比性能上的折中考虑. 根据优化设计的结果进行了实际器件的制作和测试. 静态光谱测试表明, 在3 V反向偏置电压的作用下, 调制器的消光比最大可达12 dB. 动态电光响应测试中, 在仅仅1.2 V的信号幅值电压下测得了8 Gbps数据传输速率的清晰眼图. 关键词： 电光调制器 绝缘体上的硅 微环谐振腔 载流子色散效应     

Electron–phonon coupling and vibrational modes contributing to linear electro‐optic effect of the efficient NLO chromophore 4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)‐N‐methyl‐4′‐toluene sulfonate (DAST) from their vibrational spectra

The optimized geometry and structural features of the most prospective electro‐optic crystal 4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)‐N‐methyl‐4′‐toluene sulfonate (DAST), and the vibrational spectral investigations have been comprehensively described with the near infrared Fourier transform (NIR FT) Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectra supported by the density functional theoretical (DFT) computations to elucidate the contribution of vibrational modes to the linear electro‐optic (LEO) effect. Mulliken population analysis and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis have also been carried out to analyze the effects of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), intramolecular hydrogen bonding and hyperconjugative interactions on the geometries. The influence of CT interaction between the phenyl ring and the dimethylamino group of the nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophore on the endocyclic and exocyclic angles, and the electronic effects such as hyperconjugation and back‐donation on the methyl hydrogen atoms have been examined. The concurrent intense activation of Raman and IR activities of the effective conjugation vibrational coordinate, which significantly contributes to the LEO effect resulting from the strong electron–phonon (e/ph) coupling, has been analyzed in detail. The effects of frontier orbitals, highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), transition of electron density (ED) transfer and the influence of planarity in the stilbazolium ring on the first hyperpolarizability are also discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Plasmonic Metasurfaces Enabled Ultra‐Compact Broadband Waveguide TM‐Pass Polarizer

Silicon waveguide polarizers offer a simple yet robust approach to address the polarization‐dependent issue of silicon‐based optical components, and hence have found numerous applications in silicon photonics. However, the available silicon waveguide polarizers suffer from the issue of large device footprint, high insertion loss (IL), and/or fabrication complexities. Here, a silicon waveguide transverse magnetic (TM)‐pass polarizer is constructed by coating a silicon waveguide with an ultra‐thin plasmonic metasurface structure that is capable of guiding slow surface wave (SW) mode. The transverse electric (TE) waveguide mode can be converted into SW mode with the involvement of metasurfaces, and hence is intrinsically absorbed and forbidden to pass, while the TM waveguide mode can be well guided due to little influence. A typical metasurface polarizer with an ultra‐short length of 2.4 µm enables the IL of 28.16 dB for the TE mode, and that of 0.53 dB for the TM mode at 1550 nm. Multiple‐band TM‐pass polarizers can be obtained by cascading two or more different metasurface‐coated silicon waveguides along the propagation direction, and a dual‐band TM‐pass polarizer is demonstrated with the IL being of 19.21 and 29.09 dB for the TE mode at 1310 and 1550 nm, respectively.     

III‐V/silicon photonics for on‐chip and intra‐chip optical interconnects

In this paper III‐V on silicon‐on‐insulator (SOI) heterogeneous integration is reviewed for the realization of near infrared light sources on a silicon waveguide platform, suitable for inter‐chip and intra‐chip optical interconnects. Two bonding technologies are used to realize the III‐V/SOI integration: one based on molecular wafer bonding and the other based on DVS‐BCB adhesive wafer bonding. The realization of micro‐disk lasers, Fabry‐Perot lasers, DFB lasers, DBR lasers and mode‐locked lasers on the III‐V/SOI material platform is discussed.     

Nanoscale C‐Rich SixC1−x Bus/Ring Waveguide Based Cross‐Wavelength Data Converter

The carbon‐rich silicon carbide (C‐rich Si_xC_1?x) micro‐ring channel waveguide with asymmetric core aspect is demonstrated for all‐optical cross‐wavelength pulsed return‐to‐zero on‐off keying (PRZ‐OOK) data conversion. Enhanced nonlinear optical Kerr switching enables 12‐Gbit per second data processing with optimized modulation depth. The inverse tapered waveguide at end‐face further enlarges the edge‐coupling efficiency, and the asymmetric channel waveguide distinguishes the polarization modes. To prevent data shape distortion, the bus/ring gap spacing is adjusted to control the quality factor (Q‐factor) of the micro‐ring. Designing the waveguide cross section at 500 × 350 nm² provides the C‐rich Si_xC_1?x channel waveguide to induce strong transverse electric mode (TE‐mode) confinement with a large Kerr nonlinearity of 2.44 × 10^?12 cm² W^?1. Owing to the trade‐off between the Q‐factor and the on/off extinction ratio, the optimized bus/ring gap spacing of 1400 nm is selected to provide a coupling ratio at 5–6% for compromising the modulation depth and the switching throughput. Such a C‐rich Si_xC_1?x micro‐ring with asymmetric channel waveguide greatly enhances the cross‐wavelength data conversion efficiency to favor its on‐chip all‐optical data processing applications for future optoelectronic interconnect circuits.     

Ultra‐low loss waveguide platform and its integration with silicon photonics

Planar waveguides with ultra‐low optical propagation loss enable a plethora of passive photonic integrated circuits, such as splitters and combiners, filters, delay lines, and components for advanced modulation formats. An overview is presented of the status of the field of ultra‐low loss waveguides and circuits, including the design, the trade‐off between bend radius and loss, and fabrication rationale. The characterization methods to accurately measure such waveguides are discussed. Some typical examples of device and circuit applications are presented. An even wider range of applications becomes possible with the integration of active devices, such as lasers, amplifiers, modulators and photodetectors, on such an ultra‐low loss waveguide platform. A summary of efforts to integrate silicon nitride and silica‐based low‐loss waveguides with silicon and III/V based photonics, either hybridly or heterogeneously, will be presented. The approach to combine these integration technologies heterogeneously on a single silicon substrate is discussed and an application example of a high‐bandwidth receiver is shown.     

State‐of‐the‐art all‐silicon sub‐bandgap photodetectors at telecom and datacom wavelengths

Silicon‐based technologies provide an ideal platform for the monolithic integration of photonics and microelectronics. In this context, a variety of passive and active silicon photonic devices have been developed to operate at telecom and datacom wavelengths, at which silicon has minimal optical absorption ‐ due to its bandgap of 1.12 eV. Although in principle this transparency window limits the use of silicon for optical detection at wavelengths above 1.1 μm, in recent years tremendous advances have been made in the field of all‐silicon sub‐bandgap photodetectors at telecom and datacom wavelengths. By taking advantage of emerging materials and novel structures, these devices are becoming competitive with the more well‐established technologies, and are opening new and intriguing perspectives. In this paper, a review of the state‐of‐the‐art is presented. Devices based on defect‐mediated absorption, two‐photon absorption and the internal photoemission effect are reported, their working principles are elucidated and their performance discussed and compared.

     

基于硅基光子器件的Fano共振研究进展

硅基光子技术的发展为新型微纳光学功能器件和片上系统提供了高可靠、高精度的实现手段.采用硅基光子技术构建的具有连续(准连续)模式微腔与离散模式的微腔耦合产生的Fano共振现象得到了广泛关注.Fano共振光谱在共振波长附近具有不对称且尖锐的谐振峰,传输光的强度在共振波长附近从0突变为1,该机制可显著提高硅基光开关、探测器、传感器,以及光非互易性全光信号处理的性能.本综述分析了Fano共振的一般数学表述,总结了当前硅基光子微腔耦合产生Fano共振的理论模型研究现状,讨论了不同类型硅光器件实现Fano共振的方法,比较各种方案优劣及适用场合,梳理了Fano共振在全光信号处理方面的应用研究情况.最后探讨存在的一些问题及未来可能的相关研究方向.     

Hybrid photonic surface-plasmon-polariton ring resonators for sensing applications

We introduce a hybrid photonic surface plasmon ring resonator which consists of a silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) dielectric traveling-wave ring resonator vertically coupled to a thin layer of metallic strip ring resonator made of Silver (Ag) on top. The cladding is assumed to be porous alumina on top of the metal layer, which provides more surface area for the adsorption of target molecules and their efficient interaction with the surface plasmon wave excited at the metal-cladding interface. Simulations show that this hybrid structure has a large refractive index sensitivity due to the excitation of surface plasmon waves and also a relatively narrow resonance linewidth due to the large quality factor of the photonic ring resonator. The Finite Element method is used to systematically design the hybrid structure and to investigate the performance of the hybrid resonator as a refractive index sensor. The proposed structure is very compact and can be implemented on a chip in an integrated platform. Thus, it can be used for lab-on-a-chip sensing applications and is capable of being spectrally and spatially multiplexed for muti-analyte sensing.     

Performance comparison of slow‐light coupled‐resonator optical gyroscopes

We investigate the connection between group velocity and rotation sensitivity in a number of resonant gyroscope designs. Two key comparisons are made. First, we compare two conventional sensors, namely a resonant fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) and an interferometric fiber optic gyroscope (FOG). Second, we compare the RFOG to several recently proposed coupled‐resonator optical waveguide (CROW) gyroscopes. We show that the relationship between loss and maximum rotation sensitivity is the same for both conventional and CROW gyroscopes. Thus, coupling multiple resonators together cannot enhance rotation sensitivity. While CROW gyroscopes offer the potential for large group indices, this increase of group index does not provide a corresponding increase in the maximum sensitivity to rotation. For a given footprint and a given total loss, the highest sensitivity is shown to be achieved either in a conventional RFOG utilizing a single resonator, or a conventional FOG.