McMaster University

Zhao Wang

Andrew Knights

Systems and methods are provided for stabilizing the resonance properties of a microring resonator modulator. Intrinsic optical absorption within the p-n junction of a microring modulator resonator is employed as a feedback signal for thermally stabilizing the microring resonator modulator. In some example embodiments, the input optical power provided to a bus waveguide that is optically coupled to the microring resonator modulator is sufficiently low such that the photocurrent dependence on input power is predominantly linear in nature, thereby avoiding or reducing the effect of nonlinear absorption through two-photon absorption. The example embodiments described herein may be employed to achieve a fabrication process that is free of heterogeneous device integration, for example, avoiding the integration of germanium detectors with a silicon-based integrated optical circuit or the need to sacrifice a portion of the ring resonator circumference for the integration of an extrinsic defect-mediated photodetector, thus reducing complexity and manufacturing cost.

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Nepean, Canada

Zhao Wang