Developments in Gigascale Silicon Optical Modulators Using Free Carrier Dispersion Mechanisms

Figure 1

Cross-section of the MOS capacitor-based silicon optical modulator.

(a) Schematic of the device. The optical waveguide has dimensions of 1.6 μm × 1.6 μm. The highly doped (p++) polysilicon slabs are each 3 μm wide and with an overlap of 0.3 μm with the ELO silicon region. (The n-contacts are not shown here.)

(b) SEM of the device showing the optical waveguide, comprising of the p-type ELO-silicon and the n-type SOI silicon with the gate dielectric in the middle