We present a novel micrometer-sized intensity modulator based on a silicon-polymer hybrid plasmonic waveguide. The field enhancement in the low-index high-nonlinear polymer layer provides a nano-scale optical confinement and a fast optical modulation speed. After applying a voltage, the surface plasmon waves experience different phase delays, resulting in an intensity variation at the output waveguide. Due to its small capacitance and parasitic resistance, the RC delay time is <6 ps, corresponding to a modulation bandwidth of >40 GHz. The intensity modulator can find potential applications in optical telecommunication and interconnect.

Date Published: 22 February 2012
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 8333, Photonics and Optoelectronics Meetings (POEM) 2011: Optoelectronic Devices and Integration, 83330C (22 February 2012); doi: 10.1117/12.915694

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8333:
Photonics and Optoelectronics Meetings (POEM) 2011: Optoelectronic Devices and Integration
Erich Kasper; Jinzhong Yu; Xun Li; Xinliang Zhang; Jinsong Xia; Junhao Chu; Zhijiang Dong; Bin Hu; Yan Shen, Editor(s)