title: Ultrafast all-optical modulation on a silicon chip.
abstract: We experimentally demonstrate ultrafast all-optical modulation using a micrometer-sized silicon photonic integrated device. The device transmission is strongly modulated by photoexcited carriers generated by low-energy pump pulses. A p-i-n junction is integrated on the structure to permit control of the generated carrier lifetimes. When the junction is reverse biased, carriers are extracted from the device in a time as short as 50 ps, permitting greater than 5 Gbit/s modulation of optical signals on a silicon chip.
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. sfp24@cornell.edu
authors.forename: Stefan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Preble
authors.forename: Qianfan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Bradley S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lipson