Researchers at Skoltech have developed an ultra-compact electro-optic modulator based on silicon photonics and plasmonics that enables high-efficiency optical signal control within a small device footprint. The development could find applications in optical communication systems, analog-to-digital conversion, as well as in devices for generating and processing ultra-high-frequency signals based on photonic technologies.

The work was published in the journal Light: Advanced Manufacturing.

The proposed device uses a multimode silicon waveguide of about 7 micrometers in width and 220 nanometers in thickness, with a thin layer of indium tin oxide on top.