Design of an Electro-Optic Modulator Based on a Silicon-Plasmonic Hybrid Phase Shifter

We propose a silicon-compatible plasmonic electro-optic modulator employing a silicon racetrack ring resonator coupled to a bus waveguide. A silicon-plasmonic hybrid phase shifter clad with electro-optic polymer is introduced to achieve high-speed performance and low energy consumption. Simulations show that the proposed modulator can achieve an extinction ratio of more than 15 dB at 1550-nm wavelength under a 1.2-V bias voltage. The misalignment tolerance and fabrication feasibility of the modulator are also discussed.