Title :
The transverse electrooptic modulator (TEOM): fabrication, properties, and applications in the assessment of waveguide electrooptic characteristics
Author :
McMeekin, Scott ; De La Rue, Richard M. ; Johnstone, W.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electron. & Electr. Eng., Glasgow Univ., UK
fDate :
2/1/1992 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The fabrication of a novel electrooptic modulator with a transverse electrode geometry, formed by parallel electrodes on opposite faces of a thinned lithium niobate substrate straddling a strip waveguide, is reported. The device, referred to as a transverse electrooptic modulator (TEOM), has several advantages over standard electrooptic waveguide modulators using a coplanar electrode geometry. It is shown that it is possible to achieve a 30% reduction in the operating voltage for a given electrode spacing and a substantial reduction in the figure of merit, the power required per unit bandwidth, for electrooptic modulators with either lumped or traveling wave electrode structures. Moreover, a more accurate estimate of the electrooptic coefficients is possible than with modulators using strip waveguides and coplanar electrodes
Keywords :
electro-optical devices; electrodes; integrated optics; lithium compounds; optical modulation; optical workshop techniques; electro-optic modulator fabrication; electrode spacing; electrooptic coefficients; figure of merit; lumped electrode structures; operating voltage; optical waveguides; parallel electrodes; strip waveguide; thinned LiNbO3 substrate; transverse electrode geometry; transverse electrooptic modulator; traveling wave electrode structures; waveguide electrooptic characteristics; Coplanar waveguides; Electrodes; Electrooptic devices; Electrooptic modulators; Electrooptical waveguides; Geometry; Lithium niobate; Optical device fabrication; Strips; Voltage;
Journal_Title :
Lightwave Technology, Journal of
