US 12,287,538 B2
Optical hybrid-waveguide electro-optical modulator
Ruizhi Shi, Quincy, MA (US); Ari Novack, Seattle, WA (US); Alexander Rylyakov, Staten Island, NY (US); and Eu-Jin Andy Lim, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy, Espoo (FI)
Filed by Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy, Espoo (FI)
Filed on Aug. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/820,673.
Claims priority of application No. 21192038 (EP), filed on Aug. 19, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0055077 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. G02F 1/035 (2006.01); G02B 6/12 (2006.01); G02F 1/21 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/035 (2013.01) [G02B 6/12004 (2013.01); G02F 1/212 (2021.01); G02B 2006/12061 (2013.01); G02B 2006/12097 (2013.01); G02B 2006/12142 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a silicon substrate;
a lithium niobate (LN) layer;
a planar electro-optic Mach-Zehnder modulator extending along a main surface of the silicon substrate and comprising two optical waveguide arms connected to receive light in parallel from an optical splitter, and two pairs of traveling wave (TW) drive electrodes, each pair of TW drive electrodes disposed to modulate light in a respective one of the two optical waveguide arms;
an electrical driver connected to provide differential drive signals to the two pairs of TW drive electrodes such that the two optical waveguide arms are driven in a push-pull manner, the electrical driver having differential outputs connected to the at least two TW drive electrodes; and
wherein each of the two optical waveguide arms comprises a hybrid optical core segment located adjacent to a corresponding pair of the two pairs of TW drive electrodes, each hybrid optical core segment comprising a portion of the LN layer and an optical guiding rib located adjacent to and along the portion of the LN layer, each optical guiding rib being a silicon rib integral with the silicon substrate, wherein the LN layer has a thickness in a range from 400 nm to 800 nm.