Unifying optical gain and electro-optical dynamics in Er-doped thin-film lithium niobate platform

Yimeng Wang, Bitao Shen (), Bo Wang, Sijie Yang, Liyuan Yao, Ruixuan Chen, Yunhao Zhang, Haoyu Wang, Xuguang Zhang, Peiqi Zhou, Zihan Tao, Luwen Xing, Zhuliang Lin, Yichen Wu, Wencan Li, Dan Sun, Haowen Shu () and Xingjun Wang ()
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Yimeng Wang: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Bitao Shen: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Bo Wang: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Sijie Yang: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Liyuan Yao: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Ruixuan Chen: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Yunhao Zhang: Peng Cheng Laboratory
Haoyu Wang: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Xuguang Zhang: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Peiqi Zhou: China Information and Communication Technologies Group Corporation (CICT), National Information Optoelectronics Innovation Center
Zihan Tao: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Luwen Xing: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Zhuliang Lin: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Yichen Wu: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Wencan Li: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Dan Sun: Peking University Yangtze Delta Institute of Optoelectronics
Haowen Shu: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics
Xingjun Wang: Peking University, State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Modulation and amplification are two fundamental processes in optoelectronics. While discrete implementations have achieved widespread success, the challenge of monolithically integrating sufficient gain and electro-optic bandwidth remains a significant barrier, limiting optical systems’ miniaturization and scalability. We unify these two functions in the Er-doped thin-film lithium niobate (Er:TFLN) platform, achieving a record-high internal net gain of 38 dB in a 9.16-cm-long waveguide amplifier. Meanwhile, leveraging the host material’s strong Pockels effect, we realize ultra wide-range electro-optic modulation with a bandwidth of 53 GHz and operation up to 170 GHz, fabricated alongside waveguide amplifiers using a zero-change process. Additionally, we validate this functional fusion through two signal processing scenarios: self-amplified digital signal encoding and pre-amplified broadband radio frequency front-end receiving, demonstrating improved signal recovery quality compared to off-chip gain. The modulation-amplification integration holds broad potential for increasing system complexity and network depth in applications such as optical interconnections, Lidar, and microwave photonics.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65460-1

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