A 5 × 200 Gbps microring modulator silicon chip empowered by two-segment Z-shape junctions

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45301-3
• Publication Date: 2024-01-31T09:04:23Z
• Authors: Yuan Yuan; Yiwei Peng; Wayne V. Sorin; Stanley Cheung; Zhihong Huang; Di Liang; Marco Fiorentino; Raymond G. Beauso...
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; Science; Q; Article

AbstractOptical interconnects have been recognized as the most promising solution to accelerate data transmission in the artificial intelligence era. Benefiting from their cost-effectiveness, compact dimensions, and wavelength multiplexing capability, silicon microring resonator modulators emerge as a compelling and scalable means for optical modulation. However, the inherent trade-off between bandwidth and modulation efficiency hinders the device performance. Here we demonstrate a dense wavelength division multiplexing microring modulator array on a silicon chip with a full data rate of 1 Tb/s. By harnessing the two individual p-n junctions with an optimized Z-shape doping profile, the inherent trade-off of silicon depletion-mode modulators is greatly mitigated, allowing for higher-speed modulation with energy consumption of sub-ten fJ/bit. This state-of-the-art demonstration shows that all-silicon modulators can practically enable future 200 Gb/s/lane optical interconnects.