Thin-film thermo-optic GexSi_1−x Mach–Zehnder interferometer

Abstract

We report on the design and fabrication of Ge(x)Si(1-x) Mach-Zehnder interferometers based on the thermo-optic effect. The modulators exhibit 8 dB of extinction with a pi-phase-shift power requirement, P(pi), of 245 mW. The 3-dB bandwidth of these thermo-optic devices is 88 kHz. Finally, we present calculations indicating the effect of various parameters on the modulation of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer.