Abstract

We report a study of the high-voltage capability and electrooptic linearity of Mach-Zehnder interferometric modulators. These properties are important for determining modulator performance limits for numerous signal-processing applications. Here the properties are evaluated in the context of one such application, the measurement of fast high-voltage (>100-V, ~300-ns) transient signals whose amplitudes cover several orders of magnitude. The key results of this study are the demonstration of both a high degree of linearity (<1 % deviation) and a very high-voltage capability (7 × 10⁵ V/cm) for LiNbO₃ guided-wave interferometric modulators. To our knowledge this is the first report of both of these modulator properties. We also describe an observed decrease in throughput and modulation depth at very high electric fields, which is attributable to optical mode attentuation effects.

© 1986 Optical Society of America