Embodiments of the invention describe a modulator material heterogeneous-bonded over a resonator structure in a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) to create a resonance-enhanced modulator. The resulting structure may utilize optimal materials and optimized fabrication processes to create a device with the desired properties. Materials and processes used may combine advantages such as high index contrast, low propagation loss, small resonator volume, efficient modulation combined with desired linearity or nonlinearity, and precisely fabricated evanescent and interferometric couplers. The materials can be combined flexibly to create a resonator with a wide range of Free Spectral Range (FSR), cavity Q-factor, and modulation efficiency, allowing for resonance enhanced modulators to be designed optimally for a range of requirements. Heterogeneous integration allows dense integration in a PIC with silicon passives and various heterogeneous-enabled devices such as other modulators, detectors, semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs), and lasers.