Silicon on insulator photo-activated modulator

In this paper we present a novel concept for a photo-activated modulator device based on silicon on insulator (SOI-PAM) and in which the information is electronic while the modulation command is optical. Free carriers are generated by external illumination in the vicinity of the information channel. A side-gate potential selects the type of carriers controlling the electric resistance of the channel. The channel is surrounded by oxide trenches to avoid cross-talk current. Another side potential clears the control carriers allowing a high-frequency modulation like in a Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) device. Since the control command is photonic, faster operation rates are anticipated. The proposed device has dimensions of less than 1 cubic micron.