Abstract
Eiectrooptic sampling is currently the highest temporal resolution technique for the characterization of picosecond electrical transients. The first part of this paper reviews the principles of eiectrooptic sampling and describes several ways it is currently being applied. Originally developed in 1982,1 the technique is based on the direct use of ultrashort optical pulses as sampling gates in an electrooptic medium. The electrical signal to be measured is coupled to the electrooptic medium via a traveling wave electrode arrangement. The electrooptic technique is unique among sampling systems because it is a field sensitive technique, thus not requiring charge to be removed from the circuit under test. This feature makes the technique minimally disruptive to the circuit and in some configurations allows for true noncontact testing. Temporal resolution of <1 ps and field sensitivity of <0.1 V/m/root Hz are commonly achieved with standard electronic signal enhancement techniques. The flexibility of the electrooptic technique is manifested by the variety of embodiments into which it can be incorporated. Electrooptic sampling is now used to test discrete devices such as ultrafast transistors and photodetecfors as well as analog and digital integrated' circuits. GaAs integrated circuits can be easily tested at points internal to the circuit by exploiting the electrooptic effect of the substrate itself.2
© 1986 Optical Society of America
PDF ArticleMore Like This
D. R. Dykaar, G. A. Mourou, U. Rochester, M. A. Hollis, B. J. Clifton, K. B. Nichols, G. O. Bozler, and R. A. Murphy
THN4 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO:S&I) 1986
R. K. Jain, X.-C. Zhang, M. G. Ressl, and T. J. Pier
THN3 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO:S&I) 1986
K. J. Weingarten, M. J. W. Rodwell, J. L. Freeman, S. K. Diamond, and D. M. Bloom
MA2 International Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena (UP) 1986