Miniature Intensity Modulator Based on a Silicon-Polymer Hybrid Plasmonic Waveguide

We present a novel micrometer-sized intensity modulator based on a silicon-polymer hybrid plasmonic waveguide. The field enhancement in the low-index high-nonlinear polymer layer provides a nano-scale optical confinement and a fast optical modulation speed. After applying a voltage, the surface plasmon waves experience different phase delays, resulting in an intensity variation at the output waveguide. Due to its small capacitance and parasitic resistance, the RC delay time is 40 GHz. The intensity modulator can find potential applications in optical telecommunication and interconnect.