Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate ultrafast all-optical modulation using a micrometer-sized silicon photonic integrated device. The device transmission is strongly modulated by photoexcited carriers generated by low-energy pump pulses. A p-i-n junction is integrated on the structure to permit control of the generated carrier lifetimes. When the junction is reverse biased, carriers are extracted from the device in a time as short as $50\mathrm{ps}$, permitting greater than $5\mathrm{Gbit}∕\mathrm{s}$ modulation of optical signals on a silicon chip.

© 2005 Optical Society of America

All-optical switching on a silicon chip

Vilson R. Almeida, Carlos A. Barrios, Roberto R. Panepucci, Michal Lipson, Mark A. Foster, Dimitre G. Ouzounov, and Alexander L. Gaeta
Opt. Lett. 29(24) 2867-2869 (2004)

Fast bistable all-optical switch and memory on a silicon photonic crystal on-chip

Takasumi Tanabe, Masaya Notomi, Satoshi Mitsugi, Akihiko Shinya, and Eiichi Kuramochi
Opt. Lett. 30(19) 2575-2577 (2005)

Micrometer-scale all-optical wavelength converter on silicon

Qianfan Xu, Vilson R. Almeida, and Michal Lipson
Opt. Lett. 30(20) 2733-2735 (2005)

Ultrafast all-optical switching by cross-absorption modulation in silicon wire waveguides

T.K. Liang, L.R. Nunes, T. Sakamoto, K. Sasagawa, T. Kawanishi, M. Tsuchiya, G.R.A. Priem, D. Van Thourhout, P. Dumon, R. Baets, and H.K. Tsang
Opt. Express 13(19) 7298-7303 (2005)

Ultrafast integrated semiconductor optical modulator based on the plasma-dispersion effect

Vilson R. Almeida, Qianfan Xu, and Michal Lipson
Opt. Lett. 30(18) 2403-2405 (2005)