80-micron interaction length silicon photonic crystal waveguide modulator

Abstract

An ultracompact silicon electro-optic modulator was experimentally demonstrated based on silicon photonic crystal (PhC) waveguides for the first time to our knowledge. Modulation operation was demonstrated by carrier injection into an 80 μm -long silicon PhC waveguide of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) structure. The π phase shift driving current, Iπ, across the active region is as low as 0.15 mA, which is equivalent to a Vπ of 7.5 mV when a 50 Ω impedance-matched structure is applied. The modulation depth is 92% operating at 1567 nm. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.