Fabry-Perot optical intensity modulator at 1.3 mu m in silicon

Author

Xiao, X. ; Sturm, J.C. ; Goel, K.K. ; Schwartz, P.V.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Princeton Univ., NJ, USA

Volume

3

Issue

3

fYear

1991

fDate

3/1/1991 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

230

Lastpage

231

Abstract

A new type of all-silicon surface-normal optical intensity modulator at 1.3 mu m is reported. It can be easily butt-coupled with a cleaved single-mode fiber. The device utilizes free-carrier effects in silicon to achieve phase modulation and a built-in Fabry-Perot cavity to convert the phase modulation into intensity modulation. A 10% modulation depth with a driving current density as low as 6*10/sup 3/ A/cm/sup 2/ was demonstrated. Because it can be easily coupled with single-mode fiber, and at the same time it is compatible with silicon technology, this device can provide an interface between silicon electronic circuitry and fiber optics in applications such as the fiber-to-home return link where system cost is a deciding figure.<>

Keywords

integrated optics; optical communication equipment; optical couplers; optical modulation; phase modulation; silicon; 1.3 micron; Fabry-Perot optical intensity modulator; Si; butt-coupled; cleaved single-mode fiber; driving current density; fiber-to-home return link; fibre coupling; free-carrier effects; modulation depth; phase modulation; semiconductors; surface-normal; system cost; Coupling circuits; Current density; Fabry-Perot; Intensity modulation; Optical coupling; Optical fiber devices; Optical fibers; Optical modulation; Phase modulation; Silicon;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.79763

Filename

79763