Integrated Pockels Modulators on Silicon Photonics Platform

• Published in: Advanced Physics Research Vol. 4; no. 4
• Main Authors: Shen, Jian, Zhang, Yong, Chen, Yuqi, Zhou, Wenfeng, Zhang, Xun, Sun, Min, Wang, Xin, Zhang, Lei, Li, Xingfeng, Li, Jingchi, Su, Yikai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Edinburgh John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.04.2025; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: Bandwidths; Communication; Electric fields; Electrodes; electro‐optic modulation; Energy consumption; Fabrication; Integrated circuits; integrated photonics; Lidar; Microwave photonics; Modulation; modulation metrics; Modulators; Photonics; Pockels effect; Semiconductors; Silicon nitride; Space communication; Thin films; thin‐film materials; Waveguides
• ISSN: 2751-1200; 2751-1200
• DOI: 10.1002/apxr.202400096

Electro‐optic (EO) modulators are essential components in various fields, including optical communication, free‐space communication, microwave photonics, sensing, and light detection and ranging. The EO modulation enables the fast conversion of electric signals into optical signals, facilitating the precise manipulation of light. With advancements in fabrication processing techniques, next‐generation integrated EO modulators have demonstrated substantial improvements in modulation efficiency, bandwidth, and footprint. Here, the latest research progress in integrated EO modulation, focusing on the principle of the Pockels effect, key modulation metrics, novel EO thin‐film material platforms, and innovative device architectures is overviewed. Finally, it is evaluated different schemes and provide perspectives on future trends in developing integrated EO modulators, highlighting both the advantages and challenges of integrated EO modulation, including waveguide and electrode engineering, integrated methods, and other applications for large‐scale photonic integrated circuits. Integrated Pockels modulators have emerged as crucial building blocks in many applications for transforming electric signals into optical signals quickly and efficiently. In this review, various types of modulators based on different Pockels platforms are outlined. Meanwhile, modulation metrics, integration strategies, fabrication processes, and potential applications are discussed and explored.