Abstract. A fast travelling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulator is modelled and designed using a rigorous vectorial analysis. In order to investigate propagation characteristics, velocity and microwave loss, the semiconductor layer stack and the lossy electrodes are modelled using the method of lines. The microwave field distribution is determined, design curves are derived and the cross-sectional dimensions of the modulator are optimized. The loss of the fabricated device agrees very well with small signal measurements up to 40 GHz and HFSS simulations.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.