Microring Modulator

Abstract

The present invention provides a microring modulator comprising a microring structure and an electrode for transmitting an electrical signal representing a driving voltage to the microring structure. The microring modulator also comprises an inductor structure, the input end of the inductor structure being connected to the output end of the electrode, and the output end of the inductor structure being connected to the electrical input end of the microring structure. The microring modulator provided by the present invention can increase the bandwidth of the microring modulator without reducing its radius.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical communication technology, and in particular to a micro-ring modulator. Background Art

[0002] With the advancement of computer and communication technologies, chip size continues to decrease while speed continues to increase. Traditional electrical interconnects face a series of bottlenecks, such as increased parasitic effects and limited transmission bandwidth. Optical interconnects, with their advantages such as non-interference between different signals and large bandwidth, have become an ideal solution to replace metal interconnects. Silicon-based optoelectronic devices have made significant progress in recent years due to their compatibility with CMOS processes, small size, and excellent thermo-optical and plasma dispersion effects. Silicon-based modulators have garnered extensive research due to their potential use in optical communication modules. Silicon-based microring modulators, in particular, have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their advantages in power consumption and size.

[0003] To increase the bandwidth of a microring modulator, the most common approach is to reduce its radius, but this increases its power consumption. Therefore, a solution is urgently needed to increase the bandwidth of a microring modulator without reducing its radius. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art and proposes a micro-ring modulator, which can increase the bandwidth of the micro-ring modulator without reducing the radius of the micro-ring modulator.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a microring modulator, comprising a microring structure and an electrode for transmitting an electrical signal of a driving voltage to the microring structure. The microring modulator also comprises an inductor structure, wherein the input end of the inductor structure is connected to the output end of the electrode, and the output end of the inductor structure is connected to the electrical input end of the microring structure.

[0006] Optionally, the inductor structure is a spiral structure formed by winding a strip metal wire.

[0007] Optionally, the spiral structure is a planar spiral structure.

[0008] Optionally, the width of the strip metal line is 10-15 um.

[0009] Optionally, the strip-shaped metal wire includes an aluminum wire.

[0010] Optionally, the microring structure includes a substrate layer and a microring resonator arranged on the substrate layer, and the output end of the inductor structure is connected to the electrical input end of the substrate layer.

[0011] Optionally, the micro-ring modulator further includes an optical input structure and an optical output structure, wherein:

[0012] The output end of the optical input structure is connected to the optical input end of the microring resonator, and the optical input structure is used to couple the optical signal into the microring resonator;

[0013] The input end of the optical output structure is connected to the optical output end of the microring resonator, and the optical output structure is used to output the modulated optical signal from the microring resonator.

[0014] Optionally, the light input structure and the light output structure both include grating couplers or inverted tapered couplers.

[0015] Optionally, the microring resonator includes a PN junction active region, and the PN junction of the PN junction active region is L-shaped or U-shaped.

[0016] Optionally, the electrode is in the shape of a flat plate.

[0017] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0018] The micro-ring modulator provided by the present invention has an inductor structure connected between the electrical input end of the micro-ring structure and the output end of the electrode. The inductor structure can offset the parasitic capacitance generated between the micro-ring structure and the electrode, thereby increasing the bandwidth of the micro-ring modulator without reducing the radius of the micro-ring modulator, while also reducing the power consumption of the micro-ring modulator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 A structural diagram of the micro-ring modulator provided in this embodiment;

[0020] Figure 2 A structural diagram of the inductor structure used in this embodiment;

[0021] Figure 3 An equivalent circuit diagram of the micro-ring modulator provided in this embodiment;

[0022] Figure 4 This figure compares the bandwidth of the micro-ring modulator provided by this embodiment with that of existing micro-ring modulators. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the micro-ring modulator provided by the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] See also Figure 1This embodiment provides a microring modulator, which includes an optical input structure 1, a microring structure 2, an optical output structure 3, an electrode 4, and an inductor structure 5. The microring structure 2 includes a substrate layer 22 and a microring resonator 21 disposed on the substrate layer 22. The microring resonator 21 is used to modulate the intensity of an optical signal. Optionally, the microring resonator 21 includes a PN junction active region, wherein the PN junction of the PN junction active region is L-shaped or U-shaped. In practical applications, a corresponding PN junction can be selected based on different bandwidth requirements of the microring modulator and different driving voltages.

[0025] The substrate layer 22 is a silicon layer, which is used to connect to the electrode 4 to realize the loading of the driving voltage. By changing the magnitude of the driving voltage, the resonance peak of the resonant wavelength of the optical signal can be adjusted, thereby changing the intensity of the light.

[0026] The output end of the optical input structure 1 is connected to the optical input end of the microring resonator 21, and the optical input structure 1 is used to couple the optical signal into the microring resonator 21. For example, the optical input structure 1 includes a grating coupler, which can change the transmission direction of the optical signal; or an inverted cone coupler, which can change the spot size of the optical signal. The input end of the optical output structure 3 is connected to the optical output end of the microring resonator 21, and the optical output structure 3 is used to output the modulated optical signal from the microring resonator 21. The optical output structure 3 can also be a grating coupler or an inverted cone coupler.

[0027] The electrodes 4 specifically include a first electrode 41 and a second electrode 42, which are respectively positive and negative electrodes connected to the substrate layer 22 to form a loop. The input end of the first electrode 41 is used to connect to a signal source (not shown) that provides an electrical signal. This electrical signal, for example, a pseudo-random code signal, can be used to test the performance of the micro-ring modulator. Of course, in actual applications, electrical signals containing different driving information can be used according to different requirements.

[0028] Optionally, the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are both in the shape of a flat plate, so that high-speed transmission of electrical signals can be achieved.

[0029] The output end of the first electrode 41 is connected to the input end of the inductor structure 5, and the output end of the inductor structure 5 is connected to the electrical input end of the micro-ring structure 2. With the aid of the inductor structure 5, the parasitic capacitance generated between the micro-ring structure 2 and the electrode 4 can be offset, thereby increasing the bandwidth of the micro-ring modulator without reducing the radius of the micro-ring modulator, while also reducing the power consumption of the micro-ring modulator.

[0030] In this embodiment, if Figure 2As shown, the inductor structure 5 is a spiral structure formed by winding a strip of metal wire. Optionally, the spiral structure is a planar spiral structure. Of course, in practical applications, the inductor structure 5 can also adopt any other inductor structure as long as it can achieve the purpose of offsetting the parasitic capacitance generated between the micro-ring structure 2 and the electrode 4.

[0031] Optionally, the strip metal wire may be an aluminum wire or the like.

[0032] See also Figure 3 , which is an equivalent circuit diagram of the microring modulator provided by this embodiment. L1 represents the inductor; C1 represents the capacitance of electrode 4; C2 and R2 represent the capacitance and resistance of substrate layer 22, respectively; and C3 and R3 represent the capacitance and resistance of the PN junction, respectively. This equivalent circuit diagram can be used to establish a signal model. By substituting the capacitance and resistance values of electrode 4, substrate layer 22, and PN junction into this signal model, the appropriate inductance value of inductor structure 5 can be calculated and selected to increase the bandwidth of the microring modulator.

[0033] Furthermore, after obtaining the above-mentioned inductance value, the inductance structure 5 can be designed to obtain an inductance structure with a desired inductance value. Figure 2 As shown, parameters of the inductor structure 5 include, for example, the width W of the metal strip of the inductor structure 5, the gap D between two adjacent turns of the metal strip, and the number of turns (or length) of the metal strip. Specifically, these parameters can be obtained using high-frequency circuit simulation software, such as HFSS. Optionally, the width W of the metal strip is 10-15 μm, preferably 10 μm.

[0034] Figure 4 The bandwidth comparison diagram of the micro-ring modulator provided in this embodiment and the existing micro-ring modulator is shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown, the horizontal axis is the frequency (in GHz); the vertical axis is the bandwidth (S21) of the micro-ring modulator. The solid line is the micro-ring modulator provided by this embodiment, and the dotted line is the existing micro-ring modulator without the inductor structure 5. Figure 4 It can be seen that within the frequency range of 0-50 GHz, the bandwidth of the micro-ring modulator provided by this embodiment is significantly higher than the bandwidth of the existing micro-ring modulator without the inductor structure 5 .

[0035] In a micro-ring modulator provided by an embodiment of the present invention, an inductor structure is connected between the electrical input end of the micro-ring structure and the output end of the electrode. The inductor structure can offset the parasitic capacitance generated between the micro-ring structure and the electrode, thereby increasing the bandwidth of the micro-ring modulator without reducing the radius of the micro-ring modulator, while also reducing the power consumption of the micro-ring modulator.

[0036] It will be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments for illustrating the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of the present invention, and such modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A microring modulator comprising a microring structure and an electrode for transmitting an electrical signal of a driving voltage to the microring structure, characterized in that: The micro-ring modulator further comprises an inductor structure, wherein the input end of the inductor structure is connected to the output end of the electrode, and the output end of the inductor structure is connected to the electrical input end of the micro-ring structure; The inductor structure is a spiral structure formed by winding a strip metal wire, and the spiral structure is a planar spiral structure.

2. The micro-ring modulator according to claim 1, wherein: The width of the strip metal line is 10-15 μm.

3. The micro-ring modulator according to claim 1, wherein: The ribbon-shaped metal wire includes an aluminum wire.

4. The micro-ring modulator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The microring structure includes a substrate layer and a microring resonator arranged on the substrate layer. The output end of the inductor structure is connected to the electrical input end of the substrate layer.

5. The micro-ring modulator according to claim 4, wherein: The micro-ring modulator further includes an optical input structure and an optical output structure, wherein: The output end of the optical input structure is connected to the optical input end of the microring resonator, and the optical input structure is used to couple the optical signal into the microring resonator; The input end of the optical output structure is connected to the optical output end of the microring resonator, and the optical output structure is used to output the modulated optical signal from the microring resonator.

6. The micro-ring modulator according to claim 5, wherein: The light input structure and the light output structure both include grating couplers or inverted tapered couplers.

7. The micro-ring modulator according to claim 4, wherein: The microring resonator includes a PN junction active region, and the PN junction of the PN junction active region is L-shaped or U-shaped.

8. The micro-ring modulator according to claim 1, wherein: The electrode is in the shape of a flat plate.

Images