title: Ultrasensitive silicon photonic-crystal nanobeam electro-optical modulator: design and simulation.
abstract: Design and simulation results are presented for an ultralow switching energy, resonator based, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) electro-optical modulator. The nanowire waveguide and Q ~8500 resonator are seamlessly integrated via a high-transmission tapered 1D photonic crystal cavity waveguide structure. A lateral p-n junction of modulation length L(m) ~λ is used to alter the index of refraction and, therefore, shift the resonance wavelength via fast carrier depletion. Differential signaling of the device with ΔV ~0.6 Volts allows for a 6 dB extinction ratio at telecom wavelengths with an energy cost as low as 14 attojoules/bit.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hendrickson
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soref
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sweet
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Buchwald