Optical control of millimeter-wave propagation in dielectric waveguides

We have demonstrated a new method for controlling millimeter-wave propagation in semiconductor waveguides-optical control. Phase shifts as high as 300°/cm at 94 GHz were observed accompanied by less than 1 dB insertion loss. A theoretical model has been developed to account in detail for the observed behavior. Extension of this technique to ultra-fast switching and gating of millimeter-wave signals is also described. Millimeter-wave pulsewidths as short as 1 ns and variable to tens of nanoseconds can readily be obtained.