25Gb/s 1V-driving CMOS ring modulator with integrated thermal tuning

Opt Express. 2011 Oct 10;19(21):20435-43. doi: 10.1364/OE.19.020435.

Abstract

We report a high-speed ring modulator that fits many of the ideal qualities for optical interconnect in future exascale supercomputers. The device was fabricated in a 130 nm SOI CMOS process, with 7.5 μm ring radius. Its high-speed section, employing PN junction that works at carrier-depletion mode, enables 25 Gb/s modulation and an extinction ratio >5 dB with only 1V peak-to-peak driving. Its thermal tuning section allows the device to work in broad wavelength range, with a tuning efficiency of 0.19 nm/mW. Based on microwave characterization and circuit modeling, the modulation energy is estimated ~7 fJ/bit. The whole device fits in a compact 400 μm2 footprint.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.