Injection-locked Fabry-Pérot laser for true linear intensity modulation

A high speed intensity modulator with a linear transfer function is one of the key components in signal processing, optical communication and in high performance photonic analog to digital converters (ADC) for advanced Radar systems. Typically two types of modulators are available: electro-absorption and electro-optic modulators. The former has a linear response and large bandwidth but they are sensitive to temperature and wavelength changes and they cannot handle high optical power. The latter provides high speed modulation, high optical power handling and good bias stability but exhibits weak voltage sensitivity and a nonlinear transfer function which limits the spur free dynamic range [1].