Hybrid electro-optical polymer waveguide modulator for low-driving voltage operation

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26289108
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Electron device/Electronic equipment
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Yokoyama Shiyoshi 九州大学, 先導物質化学研究所, 教授 (00359100)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Qiu Feng 九州大学, 先導物質化学研究所, 学術研究員 (50727063) ; Andrew Spring 九州大学, 先導物質化学研究所, 学術研究員 (60624864)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 光変調 / 光導波路 / シリコン導波路 / 電気光学 / ポリマー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The EO polymers offer intrinsic advantages such as a large EO coefficient, high bandwidth, low dielectric constant and loss, and excellent compatibility with other materials and substrates. In this study, we showed the EO polymer waveguide modulator having small driving voltage and high-bandwidth properties. The waveguide consists of the high refractive index core and the EO polymer cladding. Such a hybrid structure was advantageous to increase the EO activity due to the high poling efficiency compared to the common polymer waveguides. The measured half-wave voltage was 0.9 V. We tested the high-speed response of the hybrid EO polymer modulator by applying RF frequency signals up to 40 GHz. We measured the transmission spectra under the high-frequency modulation by using the sideband analysis technique. Clear sideband spectrum consisting of the optical carrier and modulated signals was obtained for 10-40 GHz. The half-value change in the index was observed at 23 GHz and 25% at 40 GHz.

Free Research Field

ポリマー光デバイス