Thin Film Lithium Niobate Microring Modulators for Analog Photonics

Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) has been long regarded as the most attractive material for electro-optic modulation for high-performance optical communication systems of up to 100 GHz, as well as for its superior second-order optical non-linearity. The weakly confined LiNbO3 waveguides formed by diffusion or implantation of dopants do not lend themselves to high-level chip integration. One key novel technology proposed here, and supported by preliminary results, is developing submicron LiNbO3 films on silicon substrates using ion implantation, surface activation and wafer bonding. The technology allows to make optical waveguides with high index-contrast of ~2.2/1.5. To avoid direct etching of the hard LiNbO3 material, a loaded ridge waveguide formation is proposed. Based on these two technologies, LiNbO3 microring modulators with wide modulation bandwidth and compact size are proposed for analog photonics applications. The modulators can achieve good linearity, high power and wide modulation bandwidth simultaneously and have a very small size.

Optical modulators are needed for various NASA communication and sensing systems. Data communication system need optical intensity and phase modulators. Advance modulation formats, such as quadrature amplitude modulation, need complicated cascaded optical circuits that are feasible using proposed technology. Navigation sensors for space applications and avionic applications need optical modulators. NASA's nanometer accuracy absolute ranging ongoing and future programs with applications in meteorology of deployable optical structures needs optical modulators. Numerous other optical sensor systems also require optical modulators for various NASA missions.

Partow Technologies modulators offer reduced size, low power and low weight with significantly improved performance. We anticipate that many different government agencies will need the devices that are produced by our company. These applications include communication and sensing applications from various Department of Defense agencies, the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and other federal government agencies. We will pursue commercialization through SBIR as well as direct sale to these agencies and departments. In addition, there are numerous commercial applications for optical modulators. Telecommunication market is the largest market for these devices. Various aviation sensors such as optical gyroscope also need optical modulators. Partow Technologies will seek customers in these markets as well as the government applications.

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