Silicon-based optoelectronics: the key technology for miniaturization of optical communication and sensing systems

Silicon-based optoelectronics, which integrates electronics and photonics, has emerged as a key technology for miniaturizing optical communication and sensing systems. Its key advantages include high CMOS process compatibility, low die cost, a small footprint, and low power consumption, making it a promising solution for realizing efficient and reliable optical networks. Our research has focused on three critical components for on-chip integrated optical communication and sensing networks: high-speed silicon modulators, hybrid wavelength-mode-polarization (de) multiplexers, and high-gain waveguide amplifiers. Notably, the waveguide amplifier, functioning as a post-amplifier, is positioned on the backside of the modulator. Its role is to amplify the power of multi-wavelength and multi-mode signals following (de) multiplexing. This amplification effectively compensates for optical transmission losses, resulting in improved signal quality and extended transmission distances, thereby advancing the performance of optical communication and sensing systems.