Optical Waveguide Modulator With Vertically Stacked Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The physical size of thin-film LiNbO3 modulators limits the compactness of optical transceivers due to their length, which affects the miniaturization of optical communication modules.
Innovation Solution
Employing vertically stacked metallic drive electrodes with edge portions over the optical waveguide core, allowing for increased electric field strength and reduced optical loss, thereby enhancing modulation efficiency while maintaining a compact form factor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thin-film LiNbO3 modulators are used to achieve high data rates and control power consumption, then modulation performance is improved, but the physical size increases limiting compactness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a conventional planar electrode arrangement to a vertically stacked three-dimensional electrode structure. The electrodes are positioned at different vertical levels (first electrode at a first vertical position, second electrode at a second vertical position) to create a vertical electric field that interacts with the optical waveguide core, enabling compact modulation without increasing horizontal footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertically stacked electrodes are nested within a compact vertical space above the substrate. The first and second electrodes are positioned at different vertical heights, with insulating layers between them, creating a nested vertical structure that confines the electric field interaction region to a small vertical volume while maintaining effective modulation.
2Productivity
If vertically stacked metallic drive electrodes are employed to increase electric field strength, then modulation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Insulating layers are introduced as intermediary elements between the first and second vertically stacked metallic drive electrodes. These insulating layers prevent electrical shorting while allowing the electrodes to be positioned in close vertical proximity, enabling strong electric field generation without direct electrical contact between the electrodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode structure employs a composite arrangement combining metallic drive electrodes with insulating material layers in a vertical stack. This composite structure integrates conductive elements (metallic electrodes) and insulating elements (dielectric layers) to achieve both electrical functionality and field confinement in a compact vertical geometry.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution increases the electric field strength in the optical waveguide core, improving modulation efficiency and reducing optical loss, thus enabling more compact and high-performance optical transceivers.
Implementation Method 1
electro-optic modulator with an optical waveguide core located along a surface of a substrate. The electro-optic modulator includes two metallic drive electrodes
Implementation Method 2
Using thin-film optical materials having a large Pockels effect, such as e.g., thin-film lithium niobate (LiNbO3, 'LN'), in the waveguide arms of an MZM enables providing data rates in excess of 100 Giga-bit/second (Gbs)
Data Source
AI summary
An electro-optic modulator that is disposed along a surface of a substrate includes an optical waveguide having an optical waveguide core disposed along the surface, and two electrode stacks, each of the stacks extending along a corresponding side of a segment of the optical waveguide core to modulate light therein. Each stack includes two electrode segments vertically stacked over the surface of the substrate; wherein at least a part of the segment of the optical waveguide core along the surface is vertically located between the electrode segments of each electrode stack.