Modulator Basics

How to modulate light?

-Direct Modulation: Turn Laser On and Off!

Î Simple,
-Î Si l b butt performance
f d
degrading
di d due tto chirping
hi i
(shift in lasing frequency) and limited extinction ratio

Special Topics in Optical Comm.: Si Photonics (11/1) W.-Y. Choi

 Modulator Basics

How to modulate light?

- EA (Electro-Absorption) modulator:
Change the amount of absorption with voltage
Usually realized with semiconductor materials

hυ

Special Topics in Optical Comm.: Si Photonics (11/1) W.-Y. Choi

 Modulator Basics

Special Topics in Optical Comm.: Si Photonics (11/1) W.-Y. Choi

 Modulator Basics

How to modulate light?

- EO (Electro-Optic) modulator:

Change refractive index with voltage Î Light modulation with interference

Î Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZ modulator)

Special Topics in Optical Comm.: Si Photonics (11/1) W.-Y. Choi

 Modulator Basics

Mach-Zehnder Interferometer:
1 − jk l2 2+l1 ⎛ − jk l2 2−l1 jk 2 1 ⎞
l −l
Eout , side (
1 − jkl2
= e −e − j 2 kl1
)
= e ⎜e −e 2 ⎟
2 2 ⎝ ⎠
⎛ l −l ⎞
I out , side = sin 2 ⎜ k 1 2 ⎟
l2 ⎝ 2 ⎠
I side j − jk l1 +2l2 ⎛ − jk l1 −2l2 jk 1 2 ⎞
l −l
Eout , bottom = e (
j − jkl1
+e − jkl2
)
= e ⎜e +e 2 ⎟
2 2 ⎝ ⎠
r=
1 1 l1 I bottom ⎛ l −l ⎞
, t=j I out , bottom = cos 2 ⎜ k 1 2 ⎟
2 2 ⎝ 2 ⎠
C
Case#1
#1 C
Case#2
#2
1 − jkl 2
e 1
2 − e − jkl1
2
1 1
j e − jkl 2 j e − jkl1
2 2
Special Topics in Optical Comm.: Si Photonics (11/1) W.-Y. Choi
 Modulator Basics

Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (Modulator)

V(t)

Electrode

B
C Out
B
In D
A A
Waveguide
LiNbO3 EO Substrate

Efficient
tegand
atedfast
An integrated acchange
e de of
Mach-Zender optrefractive
optical te s index
ca intensity in ato
LiNbO
ty modulator.
odu 3e by
. The voltage
input
put light
g t iss
split into two coherent waves A and B, which are phase shifted by the
Îapplied
Most voltage,
popularand then the two
high-speed are combined
modulator again at communications
for optical the output.
?1999 S.O. Kasap,
p, Optoelectronics
p ((Prentice Hall))
How to realize the same function with CMOS technology?

Special Topics in Optical Comm.: Si Photonics (11/1) W.-Y. Choi