Versatile Miniature Silicon WDM Modulators for Complex Modulation Formats

This program will transfer technology created at the Johns Hopkins University to Morton Photonics, additionally creating novel new devices and systems approaches in an ongoing collaboration. The focus is on the design, fabrication and testing at the system level of a number of novel active-silicon microring resonator based WDM modulators. These devices will be wavelength-selective WDM modulators; they will demultiplex a single wavelength channel, modulate that channel, and then multiplex that modulated wavelength back onto the WDM signal, without affecting any of the other wavelengths within the WDM signal. This program will develop novel linearized WDM modulators that can support both analog modulation, as well as advanced modulation formats that are becoming increasingly important for future communications systems. Devices will be fabricated on silicon using CMOS compatible processes to take advantage of the tremendous capabilities of modern CMOS fabrication lines, which support large scale photonic integration and high volume manufacture with low device costs. This program addresses the advanced modulation formats being researched currently for long haul optical fiber communication systems, and through integration onto an active silicon-photonics platform will enable these transmission techniques to be utilized for a broad range of optical network scenarios.