Microring Modulator Research Articles

Data quality dependencies in microring-based DPSK transmitter and receiver

An ultra-small silicon-based microring modulator and filter were proposed to generate and demodulate NRZ DPSK at 10 Gb/s. In this paper, we analyze performance dependencies of the modulator and demodulator under different operating conditions, such as variable laser linewidth, phase shift, demodulator offset and receiver bandwidth. Data quality of the microring-based DPSK transceiver can be optimized with eye-opening improvement of up to 7 dB. Transmission performance of the all-microring-based DPSK signal over a 70-km single mode fiber is compared to that of DPSK using a Mach-Zehnder modulator and a delay-line interferometer.

125 Gbit/s carrier-injection-based silicon micro-ring silicon modulators

We show a scheme for achieving high-speed operation for carrier-injection based silicon electro-optical modulator, which is optimized for small size and high modulation depth. The performance of the device is analyzed theoretically and a 12.5-Gbit/s modulation with high extinction ratio >9dB is demonstrated experimentally using a silicon micro-ring modulator.

Microring-based modulation and demodulation of DPSK signal

Ultra-small modulator and demodulator for 10 Gb/s differential phase-shift-keying (DPSK), using silicon-based microrings, are proposed. A single-waveguide microring modulator with over-coupling between ring and waveguide generates a DPSK signal, while a double-waveguide microring filter enables balanced DPSK detection. These modulator and demodulator are characterized. A trade-off between pattern dependence of the Duobinary signal and alternate-mark inversion signal power in demodulator design is discussed. Power penalty of the proposed approach is 0.8 dB relative to baseline using conventional modulation and demodulation techniques.

Cascaded silicon micro-ring modulators for WDM optical interconnection

We experimentally demonstrate cascaded silicon micro-ring modulators as the key component of a WDM interconnection system. We show clean eye-diagrams when each of the four micro-ring modulators is modulated at 4 Gbit/s. We show that optical inter-channel crosstalk is negligible with 1.3-nm channel spacing.

Polymer micro-ring filters and modulators

Micro-ring wavelength filters and resonant modulators using polymer materials at 1300 nm and 1550 nm are analyzed, designed, and demonstrated. The rings are integrated with vertically coupled input and output waveguides. The devices are fabricated using optical lithography. Filters with a finesse of 141 and free spectral range of 5 nm at 1300 nm and finesse of 117 with a free spectral range (FSR) of 8 nm at 1550 nm are demonstrated. Ring resonators with a Q as high as 1.3 /spl times/ 10/sup 5/ at 1300 nm are demonstrated. The filters can be temperature tuned at the rate of 14 GHz//spl deg/C. Resonant ring modulators, which use an electrooptic polymer, are demonstrated. The resonance wavelength voltage tunes at the rate of 0.82 GHz/V. The modulators have a bandwidth larger than 2 GHz. Using the resonant modulator, and open eye diagram at 1 Gb/s is demonstrated.