Large electrooptic modulation using ferroelectric thin films in a Fabry-Perot cavity

Author

Wang, Feiling ; Haertling, Gene H.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Ceramic Eng., Clemson Univ., SC, USA

fYear

1991

fDate

33457

Firstpage

683

Lastpage

686

Abstract

We report a reflective thin film ferroelectric light modulator which has exhibited optical phase modulation as large as fifty degrees and on/off signal ratio of twenty for intensity modulation. The large optical modulation was achieved by means of multiple reflection. A ferroelectric (FE) PLZT thin film material, deposited on Pt-coated silicon substrate, was used as the modulating medium. An indium-tin oxide (ITO) thin layer was deposited on the ferroelectric films as the top electrode. A He-Ne laser beam was obliquely incident on the ITO/FE/Pt structure. The light modulation was detected in the laser beam reflected from the thin film structure when a voltage signal was applied to the ITO and Pt electrodes. Unlike transmission-mode modulators, the sandwich of the ferroelectric films between the air-ITO and FE-Pt interfaces exhibited characteristics of a Fabry-Perot etalon. Near a Fabry-Perot peak, drastically enhanced light modulation than transmission devices was obtained. Design principles and the performance of the modulator are discussed

Keywords

Fabry-Perot resonators; electro-optical modulation; ferroelectric devices; ferroelectric materials; ferroelectric thin films; lanthanum compounds; lead compounds; piezoceramics; Fabry-Perot cavity; He-Ne; ITO; ITO thin layer; InSnO; PLZT; PbLaZrO3TiO3; Pt; Pt-coated Si substrate; ferroelectric thin films; large electrooptic modulation; multiple reflection; optical phase modulation; reflective thin film ferroelectric light modulator; Electrooptic modulators; Ferroelectric films; Ferroelectric materials; Indium tin oxide; Intensity modulation; Iron; Optical films; Optical modulation; Phase modulation; Transistors;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Applications of Ferroelectrics, 1994.ISAF '94., Proceedings of the Ninth IEEE International Symposium on

Conference_Location

University Park, PA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-1847-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ISAF.1994.522460

Filename

522460