SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY,LIMITED and Kyushu University conducted joint verification. Using an optical modulator with a KNN thin-film substrate, they demonstrated ultrafast operation at the 180 Gbaud class and VπL < 0.7 Vcm. The results were also accepted as a Post Deadline Paper at ECOC 2026.
SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY,LIMITED and Kyushu University conducted joint research to verify the potential for using KNN as a key material for optoelectronic integrated devices, demonstrating high optical modulation efficiency and ultrafast operation at the 180 Gbaud class with an optical modulator using a KNN thin-film substrate. VπL, an indicator of modulation efficiency, was below 0.7 Vcm, suggesting the material’s promise as a next-generation material.
The study involved fabricating a KNN thin-film substrate, with Kyushu University responsible for designing, fabricating, and evaluating the optical modulator device. KNN thin films can be formed by sputtering and are considered to offer advantages in cost and manufacturing compatibility compared with conventional materials.
KNN is expected to offer not only high electro-optic performance but also compatibility with existing semiconductor manufacturing processes. The companies are expected to further advance their efforts, including assessing the applicability of manufacturing and mass-production technologies toward commercialization.
The results were accepted as a Post Deadline Paper at the international ECOC 2026 conference in Spain. SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY,LIMITED and Kyushu University are expected to accelerate efforts toward commercializing optical modulators using KNN thin-film substrates.