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Si MZ Modulator



Literature Research

Summary

Group (Year) E-O BW ER @ Baud Rate Vpp VπL IL Note Ref
ZJU (Optica 2025) 110GHz (-1dB) 2.08dB @140Gbaud 5V 4.86 V*cm 4.3dB IL may be for biased Link
NICT (ECOC 2024) 20→60 GHz (with EOFDE) - - 2.24 V·cm 11.2 dB EOFDE integration, 3× bandwidth improvement Link
ULaval (JLT 2024) 45→61 GHz@4V (with MC) - @120Gbaud 4-ASK - ~3 V·cm ~17 dB Micro-capacitor structure, 4 mm length Link
YNU (OFC 2024) 39 GHz (sim) - @64Gbaud NRZ 0.87 V - - Photonic crystal slow light, 59 fJ/bit Link
Intel (OFC 2024) 58.5 GHz (RAMZM) 3.3 dB @224Gb/s PAM4 1.8 Vppd - 10.5 dB Ring-assisted MZM, integrated DFB laser Link
NICT (JLT 2023) >110GHz (-0.4dB @110GHz), est. 200GHz >30dB @low freq N/A ~7.0 V*cm (est.) 5.4dB (incl. fiber coupling) Measured up to equipment limit (110GHz) Link
UNESP (SciRep 2023) 40GHz (6.25V) / 47.5GHz (8V) N/A 6.25-8V N/A 3.8-4.3dB ANN+DE optimized design Link
ULaval (JLT 2023) 63GHz @2V bias, >67GHz @4V bias >30dB 2.5-2.8V ~3.6 V*cm (2-seg) 8.5dB Multi-segment SiP modulator Link)
PKU (OFC 2022) 110GHz 3.15dB @100Gbps OOK, 2.15dB @112Gbps OOK N/A N/A 6.8dB (incl. 5.4dB from phase shifters) Ultra-compact 124μm length, no DSP Link
ULaval (OFC 2022) >67GHz N/A @120Gbaud 8-ASK N/A 3.0 V*cm 23.5dB (incl. ~15dB fiber coupling) Net 336.4 Gb/s, Vπ=5V (3-seg) Link
ZJU (ACP 2022) 67GHz N/A N/A 0.58-2.25 V*cm N/A 500μm length, DC Kerr effect Link
CAS (JSSC 2022) >60GHz 50Gb/s PAM4 4V 1.75V·cm 9.8dB 912mW, 1.39pJ/bit/dB Link

Note - All data are expected to be experimental data unless noted explictly. - ER: eye-diagram extinction ratio, single value for NRZ(OOK), 3 values for PAM4. - IL: insertion loss, provide test conditions (average or biased at certain voltage)



Details

ZJU (Optica 2025)

  • Design: Combined forward and reverse RF electrodes to achieve EO response peaking and widen effective bandwidth
  • Electrode: Single-ended G-S slot line
  • Length: 0.9mm (forward 0.6mm, reverse 0.3mm)

NICT (ECOC 2024)

  • Design: Integrated electro-optic frequency domain equalizer, extending bandwidth through polarity-inverted phase modulation segments
  • Electrode: GSGSG differential-drive traveling-wave electrode
  • Length: 3mm (including EOFDE)

ULaval (JLT 2024)

  • Design: Distributed micro-capacitor to reduce PN junction equivalent capacitance and minimize microwave loss
  • Electrode: Coplanar stripline, periodic T-shaped extensions
  • Length: 4mm

YNU (OFC 2024)

  • Design: Photonic crystal slow-light waveguide to enhance modulation efficiency, distributed electrode for high-impedance matching
  • Electrode: Distributed high-impedance transmission line + segmented PN junction
  • Length: 150μm

Intel (OFC 2024)

  • Design: Ring-assisted MZM, push-pull drive for zero-chirp high-linearity modulation
  • Electrode: Lumped electrode push-pull drive
  • Length: 800μm (MZI arm length)

NICT (JLT 2023)

  • Design: Integrated electro-optic frequency domain equalizer (EO equalizer), adding in-phase and anti-phase modulation segments after the basic modulation segment to compensate for high-frequency loss and achieve bandwidth multiplication
  • Electrode: Traveling-wave electrode, gold electrode thickness >20μm, CPW structure
  • Length: Total electrode length 8.4cm (basic modulation segment 1.9cm + in-phase modulation segment 1.9cm + cross waveguide segment 2.7cm + anti-phase modulation segment 1.9cm)

UNESP (SciRep 2023)

  • Design: Deep learning neural network (ANN) and differential evolution (DE) algorithm to optimize silicon MZM design, replacing computationally expensive 3D electromagnetic simulation
  • Electrode: PIN rib waveguide based on carrier depletion effect, T-shaped multi-stage slow-wave traveling-wave electrode (CPS technology)
  • Length: Phase shifter length 0.5-4mm (optimization range)

ULaval (JLT 2023)

  • Design: Multi-segment structure to increase bandwidth by reducing individual segment length, while proposing a simplified differential driving scheme to reduce system complexity
  • Electrode: Traveling-wave electrode, 2mm per segment, three equal-length segments, push-pull configuration
  • Length: 2mm per segment, total length of 2/4/6mm depending on number of segments used

PKU (OFC 2022)

  • Design: Bragg grating slow-light waveguide to enhance light-matter interaction, achieving ultra-high bandwidth in ultra-compact size
  • Electrode: Dual-drive structure, GSGSG RF pads
  • Length: 124μm (ultra-compact)

ULaval (OFC 2022)

  • Design: Three equal-segment structure to increase bandwidth while maintaining low Vπ, with digital delay compensation to solve inter-segment synchronization
  • Electrode: Traveling-wave electrode, coplanar stripline, integrated 50Ω termination
  • Length: 3×2mm segments

ZJU (ACP 2022)

  • Design: Combining slow-light waveguide and slow-wave coplanar waveguide electrode for velocity matching, utilizing DC Kerr effect to improve modulation efficiency
  • Structure: Slow-wave coplanar waveguide, periodic floating shield strip structure
  • Length: 500μm

CAS (JSSC 2022)

  • Design: Lumped-segment MZM (LS-MZM) replacing traditional traveling-wave MZM to improve modulation efficiency and reduce driving voltage requirements
  • Electrode: Distributed multi-segment
  • Length: 6×500μm phase modulators, zigzag layout