Physics

Nanotechnology

Bandwidth (computing)

Lithium niobate

Phase noise

Phase modulation

Optics

Modulation (music)

Acoustics

Thin film

Materials science

Optical modulator

Photonics

Computer science

Silicon

Electro-optic modulator

Optoelectronics

Telecommunications

Optics Express

We demonstrate an ultra-high-bandwidth Mach-Zehnder electro-optic modulator (EOM), based on foundry-fabricated silicon (Si) photonics, made using conventional lithography and wafer-scale fabrication, oxide-bonded at 200C to a lithium niobate (LN) thin film. Our design integrates silicon photonics light input/output and optical components, such as directional couplers and low-radius bends. No etching or patterning of the thin film LN is required. This hybrid Si-LN MZM achieves beyond 106 GHz 3-dB electrical modulation bandwidth, the highest of any silicon photonic or lithium niobate (phase) modulator.

Bonded thin film lithium niobate modulator on a silicon photonics platform exceeding 100 GHz 3-dB electrical modulation bandwidth