Hybrid organic electro-optic modulators for silicon photonic integrated circuits

Silicon organic hybrid (SOH) EO modulators are a leading potential solution to the limitations of silicon pn junction EO modulators, including poor modulation efficiency, high optical loss, and limited EO bandwidth, which constrain the performance of silicon photonics (SiPh) PICs. In SOH modulators, the tight confinement of optical and RF fields inside the organic EO (OEO) material, combined with their large Pockels effect (r33 ≤ 1100 pm/V), enable excellent modulation efficiencies (VπL ≥ 0.5 Vmm) bandwidths (≤ 100 GHz), and losses (phase shifter loss ≥ 1 dB). Such performance enables lower power, higher bandwidth, and more compact PICs than can be achieved with silicon alone, and the facile post-process OEO integration ensures CMOS compatibility. Introduction of SOH modulators into commercial SiPh platforms could dramatically improve the SWaP-CP of PIC systems for applications ranging from communications (datacom, telecom, satellite) to sensing (electric field, LIDAR, microwave/mmWave signal processing), to hybrid electronic-photonic digital computing. NLM Photonics proposes to work with AIM Photonics, formed by the USAF and the Research Foundation for SUNY as a Manufacturing Innovation Institute in the field of integrated photonics, to introduce SOH modulators into their 300 mm SiPh platform. NLM will design PICs with SOH EO modulators for fabrication under AIM’s multi-project wafer offering, to enable rapid, low-cost fabrication of devices for testing design parameters and optimization of OEO material integration within a Phase I program. Results from the initial devices will be used to optimize designs for a custom wafer fabrication under a Phase II program. NLM will also identify key technology questions that must be addressed for NASA applications, such as the long-term stability of materials, devices, and systems to the harsh operational conditions associated with space, and prepare experimental plans to address those questions in a Phase II program.

Potential NASA applications include compact, low-power, high data transfer rate optical communication systems for terrestrial, spacecraft, and free-space, as well as optical sensor systems (electric field, LIDAR, microwave/mmWave signal processing, etc.). SOH EO PICs could provide significant improvements in SWaP-CP across the mission portfolio. Hybrid electronic-photonic computing applications for the technology have the potential to revolutionize computing performance, whether terrestrial or on-board, for NASA missions as well.

Potential Non-NASA applications include optical communication systems, particularly in datacom, but also telecom, satellite, free-space, and quantum networking commercial and defense markets. Sensing applications include electric field, LIDAR, biosensing, and more. Hybrid electronic-photonic computing applications also have the potential to revolutionize computing performance post-Moore’s Law.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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