A novel optically wide-band electro-absorption modulator based on bandfilling in n-InGaAs

We propose a novel membrane electro-absorption modulator (EAM) integrated on silicon. The device is based on the carrier-concentration dependent absorption of highly-doped n-InGaAs. The modulator is predicted to be wide-band and to provide an extinction ratio (ER) of 7.5 dB, an insertion loss (IL) of 1.1 dB, a modulation speed above 10 Gbit/s and a power consumption of 80 fJ/bit. The modulator has a small footprint of 10 x 120 μm² and operates with a 1.5 V voltage swing.