Integrated photonic electromagnetic field sensor based on broadband bowtie antenna coupled silicon organic hybrid modulator

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

128 Scopus Citations
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Author(s)

  • Xingyu Zhang
  • Amir Hosseini
  • Harish Subbaraman
  • Shiyi Wang
  • Qiwen Zhan
  • Ray T. Chen

Detail(s)

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3774-3784
Journal / PublicationJournal of Lightwave Technology
Volume32
Issue number20
Online published21 Apr 2014
Publication statusPublished - 15 Oct 2014
Externally publishedYes

Abstract

We present the design, fabrication and characterization of a compact and highly sensitive integrated photonic electromagnetic field sensor based on a silicon-organic hybrid modulator driven by a bowtie antenna. Slow-light effects in the electro-optic (EO) polymer refilled silicon slot photonic crystal waveguide (PCW), together with broadband electric field enhancement provided by the bowtie antenna, are utilized to enhance the interaction of microwaves and optical waves, enabling an ultra large effective in-device EO coefficient over 1000 pm/V and thus a high sensitivity. The EO polymer refilled slot PCW is designed for low-dispersion slow-light propagation, high poling efficiency, and high optical mode confinement inside the slot. The bowtie antenna acts not only as a receiving antenna, but also as poling electrodes during the fabrication process. A bowtie antenna integrated on doped silicon slot PCW is demonstrated to have a broad operational bandwidth, with a maximum resonance at the frequency of 10 GHz. The strongly enhanced broadband electric field is used to directly modulate the phase of the optical waves propagating through the slot PCW embedded inside the feed gap of the bowtie antenna. The phase modulation is then converted to intensity modulation using an external reference arm to form a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in our experimental setup. The sensing of electromagnetic field at 8.4 GHz is experimentally demonstrated, with a minimum detectable electromagnetic power density of 8.4mW2 , corresponding to a minimum detectable electric field of 2.5 V/m.  

Research Area(s)

  • Antennas, electromagnetic fields, electrooptic modulators, integrated optics, microwave photonics, optical sensors, photonic crystals, polymers, silicon photonics, slow light

Citation Format(s)

Integrated photonic electromagnetic field sensor based on broadband bowtie antenna coupled silicon organic hybrid modulator. / Zhang, Xingyu; Hosseini, Amir; Subbaraman, Harish et al.
In: Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 32, No. 20, 15.10.2014, p. 3774-3784.

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review