QSCE-based electro-absorption modulator with Nextnano and Luceda

In this application example, we show how to design and simulate an electro-absorption modulator (EAM) based on Quantum-Confined Stark Effect (QCSE). We use an automated link between IPKISS and the Nextnano++ solver from nextnano, which specializes in simulating quantum physics devices.

The main goal of this tutorial is to demonstrate how to build a model using a link with Nextnano and use the results to enable CAPHE simulations for circuits that contain QCSE-based EAMs.

Since QCSE-based EAMs have many design parameters (materials, multiple quantum well (MQW) thicknesses, number of MQWs, width of the waveguide containing the MQW, etc.), most configurations do not have a circuit model by default, preventing designers from performing CAPHE simulations. Therefore, this tutorial will show how a circuit model can be realized for a specific configuration in an automated fashion.

This application example consists of four steps:

• An introduction to electro-absorption modulators.

• Setting up an environment to run a Nextnano simulation driven by IPKISS.

• Demonstrating how to simulate the absorption behavior of an EAM and fit the data.

• Showing how to build an EAM component using a model in IPKISS with the data, and designing an EAM-based circuit.

Schematic view of an electro-absorption modulator. Image from [1].

Content

• 1. Electro-Absorption Modulators
• 2. Setting up the environment of nextnanopy
• 3. Build the behavioral model of an EAM
• 4. Define a QCSE-based EAM component and an EAM-based circuit

[1]

Chaisakul, Papichaya, et al. “23 GHz Ge/SiGe multiple quantum well electro-absorption modulator.” Optics Express 20.3 (2012): 3219-3224. https://opg.optica.org/oe/fulltext.cfm?uri=oe-20-3-3219&id=226846