Finite-element modeling of broad-band traveling-wave optical modulators

Author

Koshiba, Masanori ; Tsuji, Yasuhide ; Nishio, Masahiro

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electron. & Inf. Eng., Hokkaido Univ., Sapporo, Japan

Volume

47

Issue

9

fYear

1999

fDate

9/1/1999 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1627

Lastpage

1633

Abstract

A full-wave finite-element method with hybrid edge/nodal elements is, for the first time, applied to investigating the frequency dispersion of microwave propagation characteristics of broad-band traveling-wave (TW) optical modulators using planar electrode configurations. In order to produce a two-step analysis of electrooptic modulation of optical waveguides, the microwave electrode solver is linked to the optical waveguide solver. Numerical results are shown for an ultrabroad-band TW LiNbO₃ Mach-Zehnder optical modulator with a ridge structure, and the necessity of using the full-wave solver is verified by comparing the calculated 3-dB bandwidth and half-wavelength voltage with the experimental data

Keywords

Mach-Zehnder interferometers; coplanar waveguides; dispersion (wave); electro-optical modulation; finite element analysis; microwave propagation; optical communication equipment; ridge waveguides; 3-dB bandwidth; Mach-Zehnder optical modulator; broad-band traveling-wave optical modulators; electrooptic modulation; frequency dispersion; full-wave finite-element method; full-wave solver; half-wavelength voltage; hybrid edge/nodal elements; microwave electrode solver; microwave propagation characteristics; optical waveguide solver; planar electrode configurations; ridge structure; two-step analysis; Electrodes; Electrooptic modulators; Electrooptical waveguides; Finite element methods; Frequency; Microwave propagation; Microwave theory and techniques; Optical modulation; Optical propagation; Optical waveguides;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/22.788602

Filename

788602