High-speed and broad optical bandwidth silicon modulator

A high-speed silicon modulator with broad optical bandwidth is proposed based on a symmetrically configured Mach—Zehnder interferometer. Careful phase bias control and traveling-wave design are used to improve the high-speed performance. Over a broadband wavelength range, high-speed operation up to 30 Gbit/s with a 4.5 dB–5.5 dB extinction ratio is experimentally demonstrated with a low driving voltage of 3 V. (rapid communication)