Abstract
The fabrication of a high-speed plasmonic reflection/transmission modulator for operation at λ0 = 1550 nm is presented and described in detail. Front-side ground and signal contacts provide easy electrical probe access to the device, while allowing the transmission of light through the substrate. Modulation is based on enhanced perturbation of the effective refractive index of grating-coupled surface plasmon polaritons propagating along a metal–oxide–semiconductor structure on silicon. Fabrication steps include deposition of a plasmonic metal patch, deposition of Ohmic contacts, deposition of an Au nanograting coupler overlaid by e-beam lithography, and the application of an intermetal dielectric layer with metalized vias and metal electrical contacts. Current–voltage and capacitance–voltage characteristics verify the electrical integrity of the structure.
Highlights
Ever-increasing demands for high-speed data throughput in telecommunication systems motivate high-speed, broadband optical modulators in integrated electro-optic systems
surface plasmon-polaritons (SPPs) are transverse-magnetic (TM) polarized surface waves where the magnetic field is in the plane of the metal surface and is perpendicular to the direction of propagation, which is along the metal–dielectric interface
This paper describes the fabrication and realization of a plasmonic modulator that can operate at high speed in reflection and/or transmission
Summary
Ever-increasing demands for high-speed data throughput in telecommunication systems motivate high-speed, broadband optical modulators in integrated electro-optic systems. SPPs are transverse-magnetic (TM) polarized surface waves where the magnetic field is in the plane of the metal surface and is perpendicular to the direction of propagation, which is along the metal–dielectric interface. The electric field has a weak longitudinal component but a strong transverse component perpendicular to the metal surface. This field component is enhanced relative to the exciting field, which leads to strong light–matter interaction—a motivating factor for the use of SPPs in electro-optic modulators. This paper describes the fabrication and realization of a plasmonic modulator that can operate at high speed in reflection and/or transmission. Nanofabrication methods are discussed in detail along with fabrication results
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