Physics Research Group, Thales Research & Technology, Palaiseau, France

High frequency signals are more and more carried over optical fibers that exhibit electromagnetic immunity, low propagation losses, very large bandwidth. Optical telecom fibers operate at 1.55 µm and optic to electric conversion is performed with InGaAs semiconductors. Graphene, thanks to its remarkable energy band structure, operate also at 1.55 µm and can be easily integrated on silicon photonic-electronic platform. Moreover the very high mobility of charge carriers in graphene should allow fabricating very high frequency optoelectronic devices.

We have demonstrated high frequency (up to 30 GHz) electro-optic mixers based on graphene. A graphene film obtained by chemical vapor deposition was transferred on a Si/SiO₂ substrate. Then a graphene based coplanar waveguide was fabricated and generic photomixing functions were demonstrated. Indeed, coupling an optically carried signal at frequency f1with an electrical signal at frequency f2 (both f1 and/or f2 up to 30GHz) provides frequency up and down conversion, i.e. generate signals at frequencies f1+f2 and f1-f2. This device is an essential block for future wide bandwidth graphene based telecom low cost modules.

Jean-Paul Mazellier is currently Research Engineer in the Micro & Nano Physics Laborarty from Physics Research Group of Thales Research & Technology. Thales activity domain is aerospace, space, ground transportation, defence and security (61.000 employees, present in 56 countries). Jean-Paul Mazellier research domain covers carbon based nanomaterials from carbon nanotubes for field emission devices, nanodiamond for chemistry and biology domains, and graphene for high frequency opto-electronics. He received his B.S. degree in Physics from Pierre and Marie Curie University (Paris 6, 2006) and an Engineer diploma from Ecole Centrale Paris (2006). He received a Ph.D. in microelectronics engineering (2009) from Institut National Polytechnique Grenoble where he studied the electrical and thermal properties of nanodiamond as well as its integration in advanced microelectronics devices.  He worked as research engineer in the R&D section of Electricité de France (EDF, European leader in energy production and providing) studying reliability of electronics components for nuclear plants control. He joined Thales Research & Technology by end of year 2011. His awards include a best Ph.D. student work from Institut National Polytechnique Grenoble (2010).