Title :
Improved electrooptic efficiency in guided-wave modulators
Author :
Becker, R.A. ; Kincaid, B.E.
Author_Institution :
Opt. Circuits Consultants, Cupertino, CA, USA
fDate :
12/1/1993 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The positioning of the waveguide in the electrode gap in Xc -cut, Yc-propagating LiNbO3 Mach-Zehnder intensity modulators with coplanar waveguide electrodes is analyzed, and experimentally investigated for the first time. It is found that for electrode gaps greater than 10 μm, the gap can be further increased with little increase in the drive voltage if the position of the waveguide is shifted toward the narrower center electrode. This is important because it allows the characteristic impedance of the modulator to be made closer to 50 Ω without incurring much of a drive voltage penalty
Keywords :
electro-optical devices; electrodes; integrated optics; lithium compounds; optical modulation; optical waveguides; 10 mum; 10 ohm; LiNbO3; LiNbO3 Mach-Zehnder intensity modulators; Xc-cut; Yc-propagating; characteristic impedance; coplanar waveguide electrodes; drive voltage; drive voltage penalty; electrode gap; electrode gaps; electrooptic efficiency; guided-wave modulators; narrower center electrode; Coplanar waveguides; Electrodes; Electrooptic modulators; Electrooptical waveguides; Impedance; Intensity modulation; Optical modulation; Optical waveguides; Voltage; Waveguide discontinuities;
Journal_Title :
Lightwave Technology, Journal of
