Bi-junction electro-optic phase shifters

In this work, we propose and implement a bi-junction depletion-type silicon electro-optic phase shifter. The phase shifter has a lateral profile of implants, that closely resembles that of a common bipolar junction transistor, and thus, has two polarities. These are acceptor-donor-acceptor (PNP) as well as donor-acceptor-donor (NPN). We realize both variants in IMEC ISIPP50G open-access silicon photonic technology and compare them to lateral and interleaved phase shifters. Both PNP and NPN phase shifters exhibit a VπLπ figure that is at least 14.47% and up to 45.1% lower than that of the lateral and interleaved phase shifters realized in the same technology. Bi-junction phase shifters can be implemented in any planar silicon photonic technology that offers bipolar implantations within silicon photonic waveguides.