Ultrahigh-Q silica-ALN hybrid disk optomechanical modulator

Abstract

We present a hybrid silica (SiO2) and aluminum nitride (AlN) optomechanical disk resonator capable of efficient optical modulation over a wide range of wavelengths. Light from a waveguide is coupled to modes of the high-Q wedge-disk optical resonator while the AlN piezoelectric layer actuates mechanical vibrations in response to an RF stimulus, resulting in light modulation via dispersive and dissipative coupling. We experimentally demonstrate modulation at both 1550 nm and 780 nm wavelengths.