Ferroelectric Nematic Liquid Crystal-Based Silicon Photonic Modulator Demonstrated at 102 Gbit/s PAM-4

2025/07/19 by Li-Yuan Chiang, Chiang, Li-Yuan, G. Masini +13
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Applied Physics (physics.app-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Optics (physics.optics) #Photonic Crystals and Applications #Photonic and Optical Devices #Photorefractive and Nonlinear Optics

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2507.14724

openalex publication_date 2025/07/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

We present the first demonstration of a hybrid integrated silicon and ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal modulator achieving 102~Gbit per second PAM-4 modulation. Operating within the C-band at a 3.5 V DC bias, this Pockels-based Mach-Zehnder modulator exhibits a V_πL_AC of 0.3 V⋅cm.

Citations

• Roadmapping the Next Generation of Silicon Photonics
• Ultralow-VπL Silicon Electro-Optic Directional Coupler Switch with a Liquid Crystal Cladding

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