Hc. Huang et Tc. Lo, SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS OF SILICON ELECTROOPTIC MODULATORS UTILIZING THE CARRIER-DISPERSION EFFECT AND IMPACT-IONIZATION MECHANISM, Journal of applied physics, 74(3), 1993, pp. 1521-1528
A new type of Si guided-wave electro-optic modulator is proposed and a
nalyzed. The modulator makes use of the impact-ionization mechanism fo
r carrier generation, and the carrier-dispersion effect for electro-op
tic conversion. Both electrical and wave propagation properties of the
modulator were examined by a two-dimensional device simulator and a t
hree-dimensional waveguide simulator, respectively. Numerical estimate
s of phase modulation due to refractive-index change and intensity mod
ulation due to optical absorption and radiation loss were obtained. On
e of important features of the prospected modulator is speed. The simu
lated turn-on and turn-off time of the modulator was less than 1 ns. G
Hz modulation is, therefore, possible for this class of modulators wit
h device structure and doping profiles optimized for fiber coupling.