Abstract

Electro-optic modulators (EOMs) are indispensable elements for integrated photonic circuits. However, optical insertion losses limit the utilization of EOMs for scalable integration. Here, we propose a novel, to the best of our knowledge, EOM scheme on a heterogeneous platform of silicon- and erbium-doped lithium niobate (Si/Er:LN). In this design, electro-optic modulation and optical amplification are simultaneously employed in phase shifters of the EOM. The excellent electro-optic property of lithium niobate is maintained to achieve ultra-wideband modulation. Meanwhile, optical amplification is performed by adopting the stimulated transitions of erbium ions in the Er:LN, leading to effective optical loss compensation. Theoretical analysis shows that a bandwidth exceeding 170 GHz with a half-wave voltage of 3 V is successfully realized. Moreover, efficient propagation compensation of ∼4 dB is predicted at a wavelength of 1531 nm.

© 2023 Optica Publishing Group

Hybrid lithium tantalite-silicon integrated photonics platform for electro-optic modulation

Jian Shen, Yong Zhang, Chenglong Feng, Zihan Xu, Lei Zhang, and Yikai Su
Opt. Lett. 48(23) 6176-6179 (2023)

Subvolt electro-optical modulator on thin-film lithium niobate and silicon nitride hybrid platform

Abu Naim R. Ahmed, Sean Nelan, Shouyuan Shi, Peng Yao, Andrew Mercante, and Dennis W. Prather
Opt. Lett. 45(5) 1112-1115 (2020)

Integrated lithium niobate optical phased array for two-dimensional beam steering

Gongcheng Yue and Yang Li
Opt. Lett. 48(14) 3633-3636 (2023)

High-performance etchless lithium niobate layer electro-optic modulator enabled by quasi-BICs

Guiqiang Liu, Shu Zong, Xiaoshan Liu, Juan Chen, and Zhengqi Liu
Opt. Lett. 49(1) 113-116 (2024)

On-chip coherent beam combination of waveguide amplifiers on Er³⁺-doped thin film lithium niobate

Rui Bao, Lvbin Song, Jinming Chen, Zhe Wang, Jian Liu, Lang Gao, Zhaoxiang Liu, Zhihao Zhang, Min Wang, Haisu Zhang, Zhiwei Fang, and Ya Cheng
Opt. Lett. 48(24) 6348-6351 (2023)