Measurement of α-parameter for push-pull operation of π phase-shift MQW Mach-Zehnder modulator

Author

Cartledge, J.C. ; Bouder, V.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Queen´´s Univ., Kingston, Ont., Canada

Volume

37

Issue

7

fYear

2001

fDate

3/29/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

452

Lastpage

454

Abstract

Two swept signals (2-20 GHz) with a phase difference of 180° are required in order to use the fibre frequency response measurement technique to determine the α-parameter of a Mach-Zehnder modulator for the push-pull modulation format. It is shown that the mismatch in the magnitude and phase responses of a microwave assembly used to obtain these signals permits accurate determination of the α-parameter. Good agreement is obtained between experimental and theoretical results for the dependence of the α-parameter on the voltages applied to the two arms of a π phase-shift MQW Mach-Zehnder modulator with asymmetric Y-branch waveguides

Keywords

electro-optical modulation; frequency response; microwave photonics; optical communication equipment; optical waveguides; semiconductor quantum wells; α-parameter; π phase-shift MQW Mach-Zehnder modulator; 2 to 20 GHz; Mach-Zehnder modulator; asymmetric Y-branch waveguide; fibre frequency response measurement technique; microwave assembly; phase difference; phase responses; push-pull modulation; push-pull operation;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electronics Letters

Publisher

iet

ISSN

0013-5194

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/el:20010319

Filename

917488