Here for the first time to the best of our knowledge the linearity of silicon-based graphene electro-absorption modulator EAM is analyzed and experimentally characterized through spurious free dynamic

In this study, we present a novel analysis and experimental characterization of the linearity of silicon-based graphene electro-absorption modulators (EAMs). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such an investigation has been conducted. We employed spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) as a metric to evaluate the linearity of the EAMs. Our results indicate an SFDR value of 82.5 dB·Hz1/2 and 100.3 dB·Hz2/3. Further calculations suggest that higher SFDR values can be achieved through the optimization of the bias voltage. Notably, variations in the structural parameters of the capacitors had minimal impact on the linearity performance.

Based on our findings, we successfully demonstrated a Gbps-level pulse-amplitude 4-level modulation scheme (PAM-4) eye diagram using a silicon-based graphene modulator. The results indicate promising potential for the utilization of silicon-based graphene EAMs in advanced optical communication systems. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the linearity performance of silicon-based graphene EAMs, which can inform the optimization of these devices for practical applications