Silicon photonic modulators are a key component for electro-optic transmitter within data centers. Electro-refractive modulators relying on free carrier plasma dispersion in Mach-Zehnder interferometer have become the most popular solution. Accumulation–based capacitive modulators are an efficient approach, which can reduce the modulation power consumption. In this work in the frame of Nanoelec/Photonics Sensors Program, Ismael Charlet & al. (CEA-Leti & CNRS & STMIcroelectronics) study the behavior of capacitive modulators with polycrystalline silicon to form the capacitance. The modulators are made within the standard fabrication flow with only few add-ons. In this work we show that furnace annealing conditions and excimer laser annealing conditions during the polycrystalline silicon formation enhance the modulator bandwidths. Results reported at Photonics West 2021.
