title: Coplanar-waveguide-based silicon Mach-Zehnder modulator using a meandering optical waveguide and alternating-side PN junction loading.
abstract: We demonstrate a silicon Mach-Zehnder modulator with a coplanar waveguide transmission-line electrode structure using a meandering optical waveguide and alternating-side PN junction loading of the electrodes, which helps suppress the signal distortion caused by the parasitic slot-line mode and improves the electro-optic (EO) bandwidth. The silicon MZM exhibits a π-phase-shift voltage (Vπ) of 4.5 V with an EO 3 dB bandwidth of ∼20  GHz for a 5 mm long phase shifter. This achieved Vπis among the lowest for silicon-only modulators with a bandwidth of more than 20 GHz.
authors.forename: Po
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Jeffrey H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sinsky
authors.forename: Chengcheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gui