Low-Voltage, Compact, Depletion-Mode, Silicon Mach–Zehnder Modulator

Through rigorous process, electrical, and optical simulations, we develop a new silicon depletion-mode vertical p-n junction phase-modulator implemented in Mach-Zehnder modulator configuration, enabling an ultralow measured
V

_¿

L
of only ~ 1 V·cm. Further, in a 500-¿m-long lumped element device, we demonstrate a 10-Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero data transmission with wide-open complementary output eye diagrams without the use of signal preemphasis.