Design of an aluminum nitride based electro-optic phase modulator and photonic switch for next generation scalable photonic integrated circuits

Abstract: Electro-optic modulators are fundamental components in atomic physics experiments, including trapped-ion systems used in precision metrology and quantum computing. To enable scalable photonic integration, we design and analyze an integrated photonic electro-optic phase modulator and switch at 411 nm for ytterbium ($Yb^{+}$) ions using aluminum nitride (AlN) waveguides. We employ finite element method (FEM) simulations to optimize optical confinement, RF impedance matching, and electro-optic modulation efficiency. The phase modulator achieves a DC $V_{\pi}L$ of 178 V cm for TE polarization. The photonic switch, designed with a push-pull electrode configuration, demonstrates a $V_{\pi}L$ of 24 V cm, enabling efficient operation at lower voltages. These results highlight AlN as a candidate for ultraviolet photonic integrated circuits, facilitating high-speed optical modulation for trapped-ion applications.