We experimentally demonstrate a silicon photonic Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) assisted by phase-shifted Bragg gratings. Coupled resonators are inserted in the Bragg grating structure to significantly enhance the phase modulation efficiency, while maintaining a wide optical bandwidth compared to other resonator-based modulators. Fabricated using a CMOScompatible foundry process, the device achieved a small-signal VπL of 0.18 V.cm, which is seven times lower than a conventional silicon MZM fabricated with the same process. The device has a compact footprint, with a length of only 162 μm, and shows a modulation bandwidth of 28 GHz at a reverse bias of 1 V. Nonreturn-to-zero modulation is demonstrated at 30 Gb/s with a biterror-rate (BER) below the 7%-overhead forward error correction (FEC) threshold over a bandwidth of 3.5 nm. This bandwidth should translate into an operating temperature range greater than 40 0 C.
We propose a novel design of a silicon photonic modulator that has a high modulation efficiency and that is tolerant to temperature variations. A series of phase-shifted Bragg gratings are placed in each arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in order to provide enhanced phase modulation. The slow light effect in these ultra-compact coupled resonators improves phase modulation efficiency compared to conventional silicon phase shifters. These Bragg grating cavities are designed such that the optical bandwidth is increased compared to other coupled resonators such as micro-rings. This improved bandwidth reduces the temperature sensitivity of the devices. We present in detail how to optimize these modulators considering properties such as modulation efficiency (Vπ×L), optical modulation amplitude (OMA), and optical bandwidth (𝛥λBW); the latter property determining the operating temperature range (𝛥T). As examples, we present two designs that meet different target specifications for short-reach or long-haul applications. We further provide a model, based on coupled mode theory, to investigate the dynamic response of the proposed modulators. A large signal analysis is performed using finite difference time domain (FDTD) in order to simulate on/off keying (OOK) modulation and eye diagrams up to 110 Gb/s.
Manipulating the coupling coefficient at subwavelength scales provides an additional degree of freedom in designing integrated Bragg gratings. We demonstrate asymmetric contradirectional couplers (contra-DCs) using sidewall-corrugated subwavelength grating (SWG) waveguides for broadband add-drop Bragg filters. We show that a SWG can effectively increase the overlap of coupled modes and thus the photonic band gap. The measured spectra show good agreement with the prediction of photonic band structure simulations. A record bandwidth of 4.07 THz (33.4 nm) has been achieved experimentally. A four-port Bragg resonating filter made of a phase-shifted Bragg grating SWG contra-DC is also demonstrated for narrow-band (near 100 GHz) filtering. All these devices are achieved on the 220-nm silicon-on-insulator platform with a compact length of less than 150 μm. These large stopband filters may find important applications such as band splitting, reconfigurable channel band switching, bandwidth-tunable filtering, and dispersion engineering.
We experimentally demonstrate a silicon photonic modulator that can be loaded with a combination of lateral and interleaved p-n junctions to enhance its phase modulation. We use an asymmetric Bragg grating to introduce mode conversion in the active area, allowing the modulator to operate in reflection without introducing additional on-chip loss. With a compact footprint (phase shifter length of 290 μm), the modulator demonstrates a modulation speed up to 45 Gb/s with a bit error rate below the 7% forward-error-correction (FEC) threshold (up to 55 Gb/s with 20% FEC), and a low power consumption of 226 fJ/bit.
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