Broadband, Temperature Tolerant and Passively Biased Resonantly Enhanced Mach-Zehnder Modulators

Abstract: We describe a resonantly enhanced Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) that can be operated over a wide temperature range of 55C without being actively biased, while providing a significant resonant enhancement of 6.8 at the nominal wavelength / temperature compared to a linear MZM driven with a distributed driver. More importantly, it enables a ~20X improvement in power consumption compared to a 50 {\Omega} matched linear traveling wave modulator with comparable phase shifter technology, drive voltage and output optical modulation amplitude. Passive biasing of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer is further implemented by replacing a splitter element in the MZM with a novel device combining splitting and fiber coupling functionalities in a single, multi-modal structure, that converts permanent fiber placement into a phase correction. Both concepts are combined in a single modulator device, removing the need for any type of active control in a wide temperature operation range.