Abstract

Silicon nitride (SiN) is emerging as a competitive platform for CMOS-compatible integrated photonics. However, active devices such as modulators are scarce and still lack in performance. Ideally, such a modulator should have a high bandwidth, good modulation efficiency, low loss, and cover a wide wavelength range. Here, we demonstrate the first electro-optic modulators based on ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films on SiN, in both the O-band and C-band. Bias-free operation, bandwidths beyond 33 GHz and data rates of 40 Gbps are shown, as well as low propagation losses (α ≈ 1 dB cm−1). A half-wave voltage-length product of 3.2 V cm is measured. Simulations indicate that further improvement is possible. This approach offers a much-anticipated route towards high-performance phase modulators on SiN.

Details

Title
Nanophotonic Pockels modulators on a silicon nitride platform
Author
Alexander, Koen 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; George, John P 2 ; Verbist, Jochem 3 ; Neyts, Kristiaan 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Kuyken, Bart 1 ; Dries Van Thourhout 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Beeckman, Jeroen 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

1  Photonics Research Group, INTEC Department, Ghent University-imec, Zwijnaarde, Belgium; Center for Nano- and Biophotonics (NB-Photonics), Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium 
2  Photonics Research Group, INTEC Department, Ghent University-imec, Zwijnaarde, Belgium; Center for Nano- and Biophotonics (NB-Photonics), Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium; Liquid Crystals and Photonics Group, ELIS Department, Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium 
3  Photonics Research Group, INTEC Department, Ghent University-imec, Zwijnaarde, Belgium; Center for Nano- and Biophotonics (NB-Photonics), Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium; IDLab, INTEC Department, Ghent University-imec, Zwijnaarde, Belgium 
4  Center for Nano- and Biophotonics (NB-Photonics), Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium; Liquid Crystals and Photonics Group, ELIS Department, Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium 
Pages
1-6
Publication year
2018
Publication date
Aug 2018
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20411723
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05846-6
ProQuest document ID
2094405583
Copyright
© 2018. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.