A DC to multigigabit/s polarization-independent modulator based on a Sagnac interferometer

Author

Fang, Xiaojun ; Ji, Helin ; Pelz, Lawrence J. ; Demarest, Kenneth R. ; Allen, Christopher

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng. & Comput. Sci., Kansas Univ., Lawrence, KS, USA

Volume

15

Issue

11

fYear

1997

fDate

11/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2166

Lastpage

2171

Abstract

A broadband, electrically controlled polarization-independent intensity modulator (PLM) based on a Sagnac interferometer is presented. Influences from asymmetric modulation and traveling wave effects are analyzed and methods to eliminate these effects are proposed. Compared to Mach-Zehnder interferometer-based modulators, this modulator is independent of the input polarization state and less sensitive to ambient perturbations due to its reciprocity property. A prototype modulator operating at 1 and 2.488 Gb/s modulation rates is demonstrated

Keywords

electro-optical modulation; electroabsorption; fibre optic sensors; light interferometers; light polarisation; optical communication equipment; optical fibre couplers; 1 Gbit/s; 2.488 Gbit/s; Mach-Zehnder interferometer-based modulators; Sagnac interferometer; ambient perturbations; asymmetric modulation; broadband electrically controlled polarization-independent intensity modulator; input polarization state; less sensitive; modulation rates; multigigabit/s polarization-independent modulator; reciprocity property; traveling wave effects; High speed optical techniques; Intensity modulation; Optical control; Optical fiber polarization; Optical interferometry; Optical modulation; Optical polarization; Optical sensors; Optical transmitters; Sagnac interferometers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.641538

Filename

641538