Silicon-on-Insulator Based Electro-optic Variable Optical Attenuator with a Series Structure

An electro-optic variable optical attenuator in silicon-on-insulator is designed and fabricated. A series structure is used to improve the device efficiency. Compared to the attenuator in the single p-i-n diode structure in the same modulating length, the attenuation range of the device in the series structure improves 2--3 times in the same injecting current density, while the insertion loss is not affected. The maximum dynamic attenuation of the device is greater than 30dB. The response frequency is obtained to be about 2MHz.