| Abstract: | An electroabsorption modulator that operates based on electroabsorption
of a surface plasmon polariton mode is improved by various structural
changes and/or selection of different materials. For example, at least a
portion of the waveguide may be made to be conductive, e.g., by doping.
Also, layers that make up the modulator structure may be placed along
sides of waveguides in addition to or instead of simply on the top
thereof. High permittivity gate dielectric materials may be employed.
Also, materials other than ITO may be employed as a transparent
conductor. Such an improved plasmonic electroabsorption modulator can be
fabricated using standard semiconductor processing techniques and may be
integrated with standard photonic integrated circuits, including silicon
photonics and compound semiconductor-based platforms. Advantageously,
high-speed, low-voltage operation over a wide spectrum of wavelengths may
be achieved. |