High-speed low-voltage modulation with a nonsymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Author

Jackel, Janet L. ; Perlmutter, Pinhas ; Johnson, John

Author_Institution

Bell Commun. Res., Red Bank, NJ, USA

Volume

7

Issue

6

fYear

1989

fDate

6/1/1989 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

937

Lastpage

940

Abstract

The authors demonstrate broadband optical modulation with a Ti:LiNbO₃ nonsymmetric interferometer at microwave frequencies up to 16 GHz. The 3-dB bandwidth of 8.7 GHz is only slightly less than the theoretical limit of 9.6 GHz for a 1-cm-long device. The device uses a 2-μm-thick gold-plated asymmetric stripline electrode, with a characteristic impedance of 40 Ω and ohmic loss of 3 dB/cm at 10 GHz. The DC switching voltage is 6.5 V, and the on/off ratio is -16 dB. Fabrication tolerances in the nonsymmetric interferometer are much less strict than for directional coupler modulators with comparable performance, making this device a better candidate for use in communications systems

Keywords

electro-optical devices; light interferometers; lithium compounds; optical modulation; titanium; 1 cm; 10 GHz; 2 micron; 6.5 V; 8.7 GHz; Au; Au-plated electrode; DC switching voltage; LiNbO₃:Ti; asymmetric stripline electrode; broadband optical modulation; characteristic impedance; communications systems; fabrication tolerances; high speed low-voltage modulation; microwave frequencies; nonsymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer; ohmic loss; on/off ratio; Bandwidth; Communication switching; Electrodes; Fabrication; Impedance; Microwave frequencies; Optical interferometry; Optical modulation; Stripline; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.32362

Filename

32362