硅基电光调制器研究进展(特邀)

Research Progress on Silicon Electro-Optical Modulator(Invited)

电光调制器作为光互连、光通信、光传感等系统中的核心器件,负责电-光信号转换的关键功能。基于绝缘体上硅(SOI)的硅基电光调制器,具有尺寸紧凑、调制效率高、兼容CMOS工艺等优势,不仅一直是学术研究的热点,并且已经实现了大规模的商用部署。人工智能技术的普及和大型数据中心的兴起,则进一步推动电光调制技术的发展和创新。本文将从自由载流子等离子色散效应和直流克尔效应两种硅基电光调制的基本原理出发,介绍目前广泛采用的调制机制和经典的器件形式,然后着重介绍近年面向高速光互连、微波光子和光传感等应用的典型创新性研究成果。最后,总结硅基电光调制器发展现状和机遇,并对存在的挑战进行讨论,指出在调制原理方面原始创新的重要性。

As one of the core devices in optical systems for interconnect,communication,and sensing,electro-optical modulators are in charge of the critical functionality of electric-optical signal conversion.Silicon electro-optical modulators based on silicon on insulator(SOI)exhibit various advantages such as compact size,high modulation efficiency,and CMOS fabrication compatibility.Therefore,they have been a hot topic for years and are being commercially deployed on a large scale.Furthermore,the popularization of artificial intelligence and rise of hyper data centers continuously drive the development and innovation of electro-optical modulators.This review first introduces the two principles of silicon electrooptical modulation—free carrier plasma dispersion effect and DC Kerr effect—followed by the common modulation mechanisms and classical forms of devices.Subsequently,we present recent typical innovative advances in high-speed optical interconnects,microwave photonics,and optical sensing.Finally,we summarize the development status and opportunities of silicon electro-optical modulators and discuss the existing challenges,emphasizing the importance of the original innovations of the modulation principle.