Full 3D Model of Modulation Efficiency of Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Compatible, Submicron, Interleaved Junction Optical Phase Shifters

TL;DR

This paper develops a comprehensive 3D model for silicon-based interleaved junction optical phase modulators, enabling accurate prediction of modulation efficiency with less than 10% RMS error, crucial for performance optimization.

Contribution

It introduces the first fully 3D, detailed model for interleaved junction optical modulators, combining Drift-Diffusion, Poisson, and FDTD methods for precise efficiency prediction.

Findings

Model achieves <10% RMS error in predictions

Provides detailed coefficients and modeling process

Enables accurate optimization of CMOS-compatible optical modulators

Abstract

Performance optimization associated with optical modulators requires reasonably accurate predictive models for key figures of merit. Interleaved PN-junction topology offers the maximum mode/junction overlap and is the most efficient modulator in depletion-mode of operation. Due to its structure, the accurate modelling process must be fully three-dimensional, which is a nontrivial computational problem. This paper presents a rigorous 3D model for the modulation efficiency of silicon-on-insulator interleaved junction optical phase modulators with submicron dimensions. Solution of Drift-Diffusion and Poisson equations were carried out on 3D finite-element-mesh and Maxwell equations were solved using Finite-Difference-Time-Domain (FDTD) method on 3D Yee-cells. Whole of the modelling process has been detailed and all the coefficients required in the model are presented. Model validation suggests < 10% RMS error.