Embodiments provide for an optical modulator that includes a first silicon region, a polycrystalline silicon region; a gate oxide region joining the first silicon region to a first side of the polycrystalline region; and a second silicon region formed on a second side of the polycrystalline silicon region opposite to the first side, thereby defining an active region of an optical modulator between the first silicon region, the polycrystalline region, the gate oxide region, and the second silicon region. The polycrystalline silicon region may be between 0 and 60 nanometers thick, and may be formed or patterned to the desired thickness. The second silicon region may be epitaxially grown from the polycrystalline silicon region and patterned into a desired cross sectional shape separately from or in combination with the polycrystalline silicon region.