title: Highly linear silicon traveling wave Mach-Zehnder carrier depletion modulator based on differential drive.
abstract: We present measurements of the nonlinear distortions of a traveling-wave silicon Mach-Zehnder modulator based on the carrier depletion effect. Spurious free dynamic range for second harmonic distortion of 82 dB·Hz(1/2) is seen, and 97 dB·Hz(2/3) is measured for intermodulation distortion. This measurement represents an improvement of 20 dB over the previous best result in silicon. We also show that the linearity of a silicon traveling wave Mach-Zehnder modulator can be improved by differentially driving it. These results suggest silicon may be a suitable platform for analog optical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576, Singapore. mstreshinsky@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Streshinsky
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayazi
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.forename: Andy Eu-Jin
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Guo-Qiang
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baehr-Jones
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hochberg
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007368:Interferometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016014:Linear Models; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013685:Telecommunications / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D012825:Silicon