O-Band Gesi Quantum-Confined Stark Effect Electro-Absorption Modulator Integrated In A 220nm Silicon Photonics Platform

We report on a waveguide-coupled quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) electro-absorption modulator integrated in a 220mn Si photonics platform and operating in 1335-1365nm wavelength range. The device is based on a strain-balanced GeSi quantum well / barrier stack grown on an ultra-thin strain-relaxed buffer. The stack is only 450nm thick. facilitating optical coupling to sub-micron Si waveguides. An extinction ratio up to 8dB is achieved in a 40 mu m long device for a 1Vpp drive voltage, demonstrating the potential of this modulator for low-power optical interconnect applications.