High-Performance Mach-Zehnder Modulator Based on Thin-Film Lithium Niobate with Low Voltage-Length Product

Ying Li; Tian Lan; Dengcai Yang; Jianfeng Bao; Meihua Xiang; Feng Yang; Zhiyong Wang

doi:10.1021/acsomega.3c00310

High-Performance Mach-Zehnder Modulator Based on Thin-Film Lithium Niobate with Low Voltage-Length Product

ACS Omega. 2023 Mar 2;8(10):9644-9651. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.3c00310. eCollection 2023 Mar 14.

Authors

Ying Li^{1

2

3}, Tian Lan^{1

2

3}, Dengcai Yang^{1

2

3}, Jianfeng Bao^{1

2

3}, Meihua Xiang^{1

2

3}, Feng Yang^{1

2

3}, Zhiyong Wang^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laser Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
² Key Laboratory of Trans-scale Laser Manufacturing Technology (Beijing University of Technology), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100124, China.
³ Institute of Advanced Technology on Semiconductor Optics & Electronics, Institute of Laser Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.

Abstract

Electro-optic modulators (EOMs) based on a thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) photonic integration platform play a crucial role in loading electrical signals onto optical signals. In this paper, we proposed on-chip EOMs operating at two commercially available wavelengths of 850 and 1550 nm and successfully demonstrated rather low voltage-length products (V _π ·Ls) of 0.78 V·cm and 1.29 V·cm, respectively. Additionally, the EOM working at 1550 nm exhibits the capability of 3-dB electro-optic (E-O) bandwidth beyond 40 GHz due to the limitation of our test conditions. This study is quite helpful for understanding EOM structures in a TFLN platform, as well as the fabrication of high-performance and multifunctional EOM devices.