High-Speed Low-Loss Schottky-i-n InP-Based Optical Modulator for RF Photonics

Author

Lin, Jie ; Leven, Andreas ; Weimann, N.G. ; Yang, Y. ; Kopf, R.F. ; Reyes, R. ; Chen, Y.K.

Author_Institution

Electr. Eng. Dept., Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, PA

Volume

19

Issue

5

fYear

2007

fDate

3/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

270

Lastpage

272

Abstract

An InP-based high-speed optical modulator is presented. The Schottky-i-n waveguide structure on InP-based material was used to reduce the switching voltage V_pi and the excess loss, while maintaining high-modulation efficiencies. To minimize residual amplitude modulation and to improve power handling capability, the bulk electrooptic effect in InGaAlAs was utilized for phase shifting. As a result, a simple structure InAlAs-InGaAlAs Mach-Zehnder optical modulator with traveling-wave electrodes was fabricated and characterized. This device achieved a switching voltage V_pi of 3.6 V, extinction ratio (>23 dB) and high-speed operation at 1.55-mum wavelength

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; Schottky effect; amplitude modulation; electro-optical effects; electro-optical switches; electrodes; gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; high-speed optical techniques; indium compounds; integrated optics; integrated optoelectronics; microwave photonics; optical modulation; optical waveguides; 1.55 mum; 3.6 V; InAlAs-InGaAlAs; InAlAs-InGaAlAs modulator; InP-based material; InP-based optical modulator; Mach-Zehnder optical modulator; Schottky-i-n optical modulator; Schottky-i-n waveguide; bulk electrooptic effect; extinction ratio; high-modulation efficiency; high-speed optical modulator; low-loss optical modulator; phase shifting; power handling capability; radiofrequency photonics; residual amplitude modulation; traveling-wave electrodes; Amplitude modulation; Electrooptic effects; High speed optical techniques; Optical losses; Optical materials; Optical modulation; Optical waveguides; Photonics; Radio frequency; Voltage; Electrooptic effect; electrooptic modulation; optical fiber communication; semiconductor devices;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2007.891214

Filename

4079672