How to Characterize Silicon Photonics Electro-Optical S-Parameters

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Lightwave Component Analyzer
+ Lightwave Component Analyzer
Lightwave Component Analyzer
+ Lightwave Component Analyzer

Silicon Photonic Device S-Parameter Characterization

Silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) require precise electro‑optical characterization across bandwidth, insertion loss, and frequency response. Electro‑optical S‑parameter measurements are essential for understanding how high‑speed electrical signals translate into optical behavior in modern optical communication systems. As data‑center interfaces move toward 1.6T and 3.2T, required bandwidths push toward and beyond 100 GHz, placing new demands on electro‑optical test capability.

Wafer‑ and chip‑level testing introduces additional complexity, including optical coupling efficiency, probe and cable effects, calibration reference planes, and fixture de‑embedding. Engineers must ensure repeatable, high‑fidelity measurements that isolate true device response from test‑system artifacts, while maintaining sufficient measurement bandwidth to accurately characterize next‑generation PIC devices before packaging and system‑level integration.

Silicon Photonics Characterization Solution

Accurate electro‑optical S‑parameter characterization requires tightly synchronized electrical stimulus and optical measurement across ultra‑wide bandwidths. The Keysight silicon photonics characterization solution uses a lightwave component analyzer with up to 220 GHz bandwidth to generate high‑frequency electrical stimulus and measure the corresponding optical response of PIC devices. This capability supports wafer‑ and chip‑level characterization of modulators and photodetectors used in 1.6T and 3.2T data‑center architectures, enabling phase‑ and magnitude‑accurate S‑parameter extraction for validating bandwidth and frequency response.
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