Wideband integrated high-speed graphene-silicon slot-waveguide electro-absorption modulator at 2 {\mu}m and 1.5 {\mu}m wavebands

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel graphene-silicon slot waveguide electro-absorption modulator that operates efficiently at 2 μm and 1.5 μm wavebands, advancing high-speed optical communication technology.

Contribution

The work introduces a high-performance, wideband, integrated electro-optic modulator based on graphene-silicon technology for the 2 μm waveband, which was previously limited.

Findings

Demonstrated high-speed modulation at 2 μm and 1.5 μm

Achieved wideband and efficient electro-absorption modulation

Validated robustness and compactness of the device

Abstract

The 2-{\mu}m waveband, emerging as a highly promising candidate for optical communication, offers an extended wavelength window for high-speed optical transmission. Despite its potential, the development of integrated electro-optic (E/O) modulators operating at this wavelength range has been limited. Such E/O modulators are crucial for high-speed optical communication systems at the 2-{\mu}m waveband. In this work, we propose and experimentally demonstrate high-performance E/O absorption modulators based on a graphene-silicon slot waveguide. Our approach enables wideband, high-speed, efficient, robust and compact modulators at both 2-{\mu}m and 1.5-{\mu}m wavebands. This work represents a significant advancement towards the realization of high-speed integrated E/O modulators for optical communication systems operating at the 2-{\mu}m wavelength range.