Monolithic integrated modulator on silicon for optical interconnects

A modulator structure based on the electrical field modified saturation absorption is proposed. Adequate modulation depth of 90% is expected from simulation results. Thirty-six percent modulation depth and 6-dB insertion loss are achieved in the prototype device. Higher modulation depth can be achieved via improved matching of the cavity mode with the laser wavelength. With its ability of forming two-dimensional modulator array and full compatibility with standard silicon very large scale integration technology, this modulator is very suitable for the important application of chip-to-chip optical interconnects.