We propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel compact folded Michelson interferometer (FMI) modulator with high modulation efficiency. By folding the 0.5 mm-long phase shift arms, the length of the modulation area of the FMI modulator is only 0.25 mm. Meanwhile, the traveling wave electrode (TWE) is also shorter, which decreases the propagation loss of the RF signal and contributes to a small footprint. The Vπ-L of the present device is as low as 0.87 V·cm at −8 V bias voltage. The minimum optical insertion loss is 3.7 dB, and the static extinction ratio (ER) is over 25 dB. The measured 3-dB electro-optical (EO) bandwidth is 17.3 GHz at a −6 V bias. The OOK eye diagram up to 40 Gb/s is demonstrated under 2 V driver voltage.

We report the demonstration of a germanium waveguide p-i-n photodetector (PD) for the C + L band light detection. Tensile strain is transferred into the germanium layer using a SiN stressor on top surface of the germanium. The simulation and experimental results show that the trenches must be formed around the device, so that the strain can be transferred effectively. The device exhibits an almost flat responsivity with respect to the wavelength range from 1510 nm to 1630 nm, and high responsivity of over 1.1 A/W is achieved at 1625 nm. The frequency response measurement reveals that a high 3 dB bandwidth (f3dB) of over 50 GHz can be obtained. The realization of the photonic-integrated circuits (PIC)-integrable waveguide Ge PDs paves the way for future telecom applications in the C + L band.

We demonstrate a Ge electro-absorption modulator (EAM) in L band with a 3 dB electro-optical bandwidth beyond 67 GHz at −3 V bias voltage. The Eye diagram measurement shows a data rate of over 80 Gbps for non-return-to-zero on-off keying (NRZ-OOK) modulation at a voltage swing of 2.3 Vpp and the wavelength of 1605 nm. Through the comparison of multi-device results, it is proved that the introduction of the annealing process after CMP can increase the mean static extinction ratio of the EAM from 7.27 dB to 11.83 dB, which confirms the manufacturability of the device. The dynamic power consumption of the device is 6.348 fJ/bit. The performance of our device is comprehensive. The Ge EAM device also has excellent performance as a photodetector (PD) in the C and L communication bands. The responsivity of the device is 1.04 A/W at the wavelength of 1610 nm, resulting in ∼0.87 mW of static power consumption at −3 V bias voltage under 0.28 mW of optical input and the 3 dB opto-electric bandwidth of the devices are beyond 43 GHz at −3 V bias.

We demonstrate a GeSi electro-absorption modulator with on-chip thermal tuning for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Theoretical simulation proves that the device temperature can be tuned and the effective operating wavelength range can be broadened. When the heater power is 4.63 mW, the temperature of the waveguide increases by about 27 K and the theoretical operating wavelength range is broadened by 23.7 nm. The experimental results show that the optical transmission line shifted to the longer wavelength by 4.8 nm by every 1 mW heater power. The effective static operating wavelength range of the device is increased from 34.4 nm to 60.1 nm, which means it is broadened by 25.7 nm. The band edge shift coefficient of 0.76 nm/K is obtained by temperature simulation and linear fitting of the measured data. The device has a 3 dB EO bandwidth of 89 GHz at 3 V reverse bias, and the eye diagram measurement shows a data rate of 80 Gbit/s for non-return-to-zero on–off keying modulation and 100 Gbit/s for 4 pulse amplitude modulation in the 1526.8 nm to 1613.2 nm wavelength range as the heater power increases from 0 mW to 10.1 mW.