• Photonics Research
  • Vol. 13, Issue 2, 433 (2025)
Qiang Zhang1, Qikai Huang2, Penghui Xia2, Yan Li3..., Xingyi Jiang2, Shuyue Zhang2, Shengyu Fang2, Jianyi Yang2 and Hui Yu1,*|Show fewer author(s)
Author Affiliations
  • 1Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou 311100, China
  • 2Institute of Integrated Microelectronic Systems, College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
  • 3Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
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    DOI: 10.1364/PRJ.538014 Cite this Article Set citation alerts
    Qiang Zhang, Qikai Huang, Penghui Xia, Yan Li, Xingyi Jiang, Shuyue Zhang, Shengyu Fang, Jianyi Yang, Hui Yu, "All-optically linearized silicon modulator with ultrahigh SFDR of 131 dB · Hz6/7," Photonics Res. 13, 433 (2025) Copy Citation Text show less
    (a) Schematic diagram of our linearization scheme based on the silicon dual-series MZM. GC, grating coupler; CPS, co-planar strip electrode; OS, optical switch; MZM, Mach–Zehnder modulator; PD, photodiode; RF, radio frequency. (b) Cross-sectional views of the carrier-depletion-based modulation arm and the thermo-optical phase shifter. (c) Microscope image of the fabricated silicon dual-series MZM.
    Fig. 1. (a) Schematic diagram of our linearization scheme based on the silicon dual-series MZM. GC, grating coupler; CPS, co-planar strip electrode; OS, optical switch; MZM, Mach–Zehnder modulator; PD, photodiode; RF, radio frequency. (b) Cross-sectional views of the carrier-depletion-based modulation arm and the thermo-optical phase shifter. (c) Microscope image of the fabricated silicon dual-series MZM.
    Effective refractive index variation and propagation loss of the PN junction embedded silicon slab waveguide versus the DC reverse bias voltage. Discreate data points are measured values. Solid curves plot the fourth-order polynomial fitting results. The fitted values of polynomial coefficients k1, k2, k3, and k4 and p0, p1, p2, p3, and p4 are listed inside the graph.
    Fig. 2. Effective refractive index variation and propagation loss of the PN junction embedded silicon slab waveguide versus the DC reverse bias voltage. Discreate data points are measured values. Solid curves plot the fourth-order polynomial fitting results. The fitted values of polynomial coefficients k1, k2, k3, and k4 and p0, p1, p2, p3, and p4 are listed inside the graph.
    Contour maps of the CDR as a function of Vb1 and Vb2 at the conditions of β=0.6 (a), 0.7 (b), 0.8 (c), and 0.9 (d).
    Fig. 3. Contour maps of the CDR as a function of Vb1 and Vb2 at the conditions of β=0.6 (a), 0.7 (b), 0.8 (c), and 0.9 (d).
    Calculated optical transmissions of the DS-MZM (blue) and a reference single-MZM (red) as functions of the DC modulation voltage.
    Fig. 4. Calculated optical transmissions of the DS-MZM (blue) and a reference single-MZM (red) as functions of the DC modulation voltage.
    (a) Measured small-signal frequency responses of the reference single MZM with 2 mm phase shifters at different reverse bias voltages. (b) Measured switching characteristics of the 1×2 thermal-optic switch. The resistance and Pπ of the TiN-based heater are 500 Ω and 30 mW, respectively.
    Fig. 5. (a) Measured small-signal frequency responses of the reference single MZM with 2 mm phase shifters at different reverse bias voltages. (b) Measured switching characteristics of the 1×2 thermal-optic switch. The resistance and Pπ of the TiN-based heater are 500  Ω and 30 mW, respectively.
    (a) Setup of the SFDR measurement. CW laser, continuous wave tunable laser; EDFA, erbium doped fiber amplifier; OPBF, optical bandpass filter; ESA, electrical spectrum analyzer; EPS, electrical phase shifter; PC, polarization controller; OPM, optical power meter. (b), (c), (d), (e) Measured NF of the full link at 10, 20, 30, and 40 GHz.
    Fig. 6. (a) Setup of the SFDR measurement. CW laser, continuous wave tunable laser; EDFA, erbium doped fiber amplifier; OPBF, optical bandpass filter; ESA, electrical spectrum analyzer; EPS, electrical phase shifter; PC, polarization controller; OPM, optical power meter. (b), (c), (d), (e) Measured NF of the full link at 10, 20, 30, and 40 GHz.
    Measured SFDRs of the single MZM and the DS-MZM at different frequencies. (a), (c), (e), (g), (i) Single MZM at 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 GHz. (b), (d), (f), (h), (j) DS-MZM at 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 GHz.
    Fig. 7. Measured SFDRs of the single MZM and the DS-MZM at different frequencies. (a), (c), (e), (g), (i) Single MZM at 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 GHz. (b), (d), (f), (h), (j) DS-MZM at 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 GHz.
    (a) Measured optimal SFDRs of DS-MZM and the heating powers of 1×2 OS at different ambient temperatures. (b) Measured SFDRs as a function of the optical power received by the PD. The slope of the fitted line is 1.7 in the decibel scale. (c) Measured SFDRs at different optical wavelengths. The frequency of two-tone RF signal is 1 GHz in the above measurements.
    Fig. 8. (a) Measured optimal SFDRs of DS-MZM and the heating powers of 1×2 OS at different ambient temperatures. (b) Measured SFDRs as a function of the optical power received by the PD. The slope of the fitted line is 1.7 in the decibel scale. (c) Measured SFDRs at different optical wavelengths. The frequency of two-tone RF signal is 1 GHz in the above measurements.
    Linearization StrategyIntegration PlatformEO-S21 (GHz)NF (dBm/Hz)Range of vpp/VπSFDR
    RAMZI [18]III–V/Si/−159/117.5  dB·Hz2/3 at 10 GHz
    RAMZM [19]TFLN10−163.80.0532 to 0.1652120.04  dB·Hz6/7 at 1 GHz
    DS-MZM [34]SOI55−1560.02 to 0.0672109.5,100.5  dB·Hz2/3 at 1, 10 GHz
    DP-MZM [35]SOI40−1560.042 to 0.14123,120  dB·Hz6/7 at 1, 10 GHz
    Dual-drive single MZM [36]SOI/−164.50.112 to 0.252123.4  dB·Hz6/7 at 1 GHz
    Doping control [40]SOI/−165/113.7  dB·Hz2/3 at 2 GHz
    DP-MZM [42]Lithium niobate/−1700.07 to 0.224116.8  dB·Hz2/3 at 12 GHz
    RAMZM [43]SOI5−1630.042 to 0.13111.3  dB·Hz2/3 at 1 GHz
    Electronic predistortion [44]SOI///120  dB·Hz2/3 at 9 GHz
    DS-MZM with tunable OS (this work)SOI51−163, −163, −163, −160, −1570.071–0.4131, 127, 118, 110, 109  dB·Hz6/7 at 1, 10, 20, 30, 40 GHz
    Table 1. Performance Comparison of Our Device with the Integrated High-Linearity Modulators Reported Recently
    Qiang Zhang, Qikai Huang, Penghui Xia, Yan Li, Xingyi Jiang, Shuyue Zhang, Shengyu Fang, Jianyi Yang, Hui Yu, "All-optically linearized silicon modulator with ultrahigh SFDR of 131 dB · Hz6/7," Photonics Res. 13, 433 (2025)
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