Abstract

This paper presents the latest development on the high-power infrared waveguide modulator which takes the advantages of both the integrated optics and microwave microstrip technologies. When fully developed this subcarrier broadband traveling-wave waveguide modulator will be the first practical thin-film device to be used in the high-resolution optical imaging radar system. Recently several significant advances have been made on this modulator device, particularly in the area of improving the waveguide quality, which is essential for both the optical and microwave performance. This paper discusses the fabrication techniques that yield low-loss GaAs single-crystal thin-slab waveguides with an electro-optic interaction length greater than 3 cm. Also discussed in this paper is the optical transmission characteristics. We have obtained more than 3 watts transmitted CO₂ laser power in a Gaussian beam through a 2.8 cm long (excluding the lengths of couplers) metal claded waveguide modulator having a thickess of ≃25 μm, by using a 6 watts CO₂ laser as the input.

© 1976 Optical Society of America