Silicon p-n-Diode Based Electro-Optic Modulators

Abstract

A method for forming p-n-diode based silicon electro-optic modulators using local oxidation is tested. It is shown that the local oxidation of silicon allows forming a rib waveguide as a smoothed trapezoid, in contrast to the classical technique of creating a rib waveguide by plasma-chemical etching. The main advantages of the approach used are described: controllability and reproducibility of critical design parameters of the modulators (width and height of the waveguide rib), low surface roughness, and the possibility of using approaches to forming a modulating p-n-diode of combined type in a rib waveguide, which are standard for planar technologies.