Versatile Tunning of Compact Microring Waveguide Resonator Based on Lithium Niobate Thin Films

Abstract

With the advancement of modulation technology and the requirement for device miniaturization and integration, lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) can be a versatile platform for this pursuit, as it can confine the transmitted light at the nanoscale, leading to a strong light–matter interaction, which can sensitively capture external variations, such as electric fields and temperature. This paper presents a compact microring modulator with versatile tuning based on X-cut LNOI. The LNOI modulator equipped with electrodes with a coverage angle of 120∘ achieved a maximum electro-optic (EO) tuning efficiency of 13 pm/V and a maximum extinction ratio of 11 dB. The asymmetry in the static or quasi-static electro-optic tuning of the microring modulator was also analyzed. Furthermore, we measured the thermal-optic effect of the device with a sensitivity of 26.33 pm/∘C, which can potentially monitor the environment temperature or compensate for devices’ functional behavior. The demonstrated efficient and versatile compact microring modulator will be an important platform for on-chip active or passive photonic components, microring-based sensor arrays and integrated optics.