Injection Modulator

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This invention describes an injection modulator for modulating optical radiation. It consists of an optical waveguide and a special diode structure with p-doped and n-doped semiconductor sections arranged on opposite sides of the waveguide, separated by a lightly doped or undoped central region. The p-doped and n-doped regions do not overlap and are arranged in a resonance-free part of the waveguide, allowing for efficient modulation of light signals with minimal optical loss. The design enhances electro-optic effects with low absorption losses, making it well suited for high-speed and high-efficiency optical communication applications.

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• High-speed optical communication systems (e.g., fiber optic networks, data centers)
• On-chip optical interconnects for integrated circuits
• Chip-to-chip and board-level optical data transmission
• Optical modulators in photonic sensors and LiDAR systems
• Biomedical imaging and diagnostic devices using optical signal modulation
• Optical computing and signal processing platforms

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables fast and efficient modulation of optical signals (high modulation speed)
• Minimizes optical losses due to non-overlapping and offset arrangement of doped regions
• Allows for compact designs due to stronger electro-optic effects in a small footprint
• Well-suited for integration with silicon photonics platforms and CMOS technology
• Provides resonance-free operation, ensuring stable and uniform modulation
• Reduces energy consumption compared to traditional electrical interconnects
• Scalable for high-bandwidth data transmission applications

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates inter alia to an injection modulator (10) for modulation of optical radiation (P), comprising an optical waveguide (20) and a diode structure (30), which has at least two p-doped semiconductor portions (110), at least two n-doped semiconductor portions (210) and at least one lightly doped or undoped intermediate portion (300) between the p-doped and n-doped semiconductor portions (110, 210). The p-doped semiconductor portions (110) - when viewed in the longitudinal direction (L) of the waveguide (20) - are offset with respect to the n-doped semiconductor portions (210) and the diode structure (30) is arranged in a resonance-free portion of the waveguide (20), in which - apart from waveguide attenuation - the radiation intensity of the radiation (P) guided in the waveguide (20) is constant. According to the invention, the p-doped semiconductor portions (110) lie on one side of the waveguide (20) - when viewed in the longitudinal direction (L) of the waveguide (20) and with respect to the waveguide center - , the n-doped semiconductor portions (210) lie on the other side of the waveguide (20) and the intermediate portion (300) lies in the region of the waveguide center, each semiconductor portion (110, 210) extends transversely with respect to the waveguide longitudinal direction (L) in the direction of the waveguide center of the waveguide (20) and no p-doped semiconductor portion (110) - when viewed in the longitudinal direction (L) of the waveguide (20) - overlaps any n-doped semiconductor portion (210).