Ultrafast, integrable, optics-based interface between superconducting and room-temperature electronics

Author

Chia-Chi Wang ; Currie, M. ; Hsiang, T.Y.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Rochester Univ., NY, USA

Volume

5

Issue

2

fYear

1995

fDate

6/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

3156

Lastpage

3159

Abstract

An ultrafast optical interface between superconducting and room-temperature electronics is proposed to take full advantage of high-speed superconducting circuits. We report on the computed and experimental studies of an optical receiving and modulating system that is compatible in processing with the prevailing integrated-superconducting-circuit technology. Planar interdigitated Nb/Si/Nb metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodiodes are demonstrated as optical receivers with resolvable bit-rate as high as 38 Gb/s, and the response of MSM diode was shaped to be a single-flux-quantum pulse to drive Josephson-junction-based circuits. A similar interdigitated structure on a silicon waveguide is proposed to be an ultrafast light-intensity modulator, with its operation based on carrier-density modulation of the optical index of refraction. This field-effect device has insignificant power dissipation, in addition to high speed. A sample modulator with 5-V bias is shown to have a modulation depth of 40% and a bandwidth over 70 GHz.<>

Keywords

Josephson effect; electro-optical modulation; high-speed optical techniques; integrated optoelectronics; metal-semiconductor-metal structures; optical receivers; optical transmitters; photodiodes; superconducting device testing; superconducting logic circuits; superconductor-semiconductor boundaries; 38 Gbit/s; 70 GHz; Josephson-junction-based circuits; Nb-Si-Nb; carrier-density modulation; high-speed superconducting circuits; index of refraction; integrated-superconducting-circuit technology; interdigitated MSM photodiodes; light-intensity modulator; modulation depth; optical modulating system; optical receivers; optical receiving system; optics-based interface; resolvable bit-rate; room-temperature electronics; single-flux-quantum pulse; superconducting electronics; ultrafast optical interface; Circuits; High speed optical techniques; Integrated optics; Niobium; Optical computing; Optical modulation; Optical receivers; Optical refraction; Optical waveguides; Ultrafast optics;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/77.403261

Filename

403261