Ciena Corporation
Carrier depletion-based silicon photonic modulator using capacitive coupling

Abstract:

A carrier depletion-based Silicon Photonic (SiP) modulator using capacitive coupling includes a high-k dielectric material in or on slabs, between a rib. A capacitance (C.sub.k) of the high-k dielectric material is larger than a capacitance (C.sub.pn) of the rib, thereby reducing the high frequency impedance and improving bandwidth of the modulator. A modulator includes a first electrode; a first slab connected to the first electrode at a first end; a rib connected to the first slab at a second end of the first slab; a second slab connected to the rib at a first end; a second electrode connected to the second slab at a second end of the second slab; and a high-k dielectric material disposed in or on a portion of each of the first slab and the second slab, thereby enabling capacitive coupling.