On-Chip Electro-Optic Modulator With Loss Compensation Based on Polymeric Active-Integrated Waveguides

Abstract

In this paper, an on-chip electro-optic (EO) modulator with loss compensation based on polymeric active-integrated waveguides was demonstrated. An erbium-doped waveguide amplifier was investigated and integrated with the EO modulator to compensate for signal loss. Polymeric active-integrated waveguides were based on the Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure, which consists of an amplified waveguide formed by two symmetric Y-junction branches and an EO waveguide formed by two decoupled waveguide arms. The dimensions of the polymeric active-integrated waveguides and the modulator were carefully designed and simulated. Moreover, a six-level spectroscopic model pumped at 980 nm was presented. The rate equations and propagation equations were solved, and the gain characteristics were simulated. The internal gain of 4.65 dB was achieved when the signal power was 0.1 mW at 1550 nm, the pump power was 100 mW at 980 nm, the Er 3+ concentration was 9.3×10 25 /m 3 , and the Yb 3+ concentration was 8.6×10 26 /m 3 in one Y-junction branch with a length of 1.5 cm. With the integrated waveguide amplifier, the loss of the EO modulator can be compensated at 9.3 dB in the two symmetric Y-junction branches. The light output intensity was also statistically presented. The proposed device with active-integrated waveguides could be used in polymer-based photonics integrated circuits. INDEX TERMS Integrated optics, electro-optic modulator, waveguide amplifier, polymer waveguides.

Nonlinear optical materials based on fluorinated polyurethane-imides and their application in waveguide devices

“…Polymer optical waveguide materials occupy an important position in the preparation of integrated optical waveguide devices which are indispensable components in optical telecommunication network systems. 1,2 It is very meaningful and interesting to design and synthesize EO (electro-optic) polymer optical waveguide materials with high second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties, good processing performance, and low optical transmission loss at wavelengths of 1310 nm and 1550 nm. It is therefore becoming an important research subjects.…”

Maximum RF Input Signal on the Electro-Optic Modulator Transmission Boundary Area for Harmonic Distortion Compensation in Analog Radio Over Fiber

“…Meanwhile, considering these circumstances, the integrated antenna-EO modulator is better designed as a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM); however, this design still delivers optical carrier-tofirst sideband ratios (OCSRs) of approximately 49 dB [19] and 45 dB [20]. An integrated erbium-doped waveguide with an EO modulator and a pump power of 20 dBm can give a relative gain of 9.3 dB; nevertheless, this waveguide harmonic distortion and OCSR [21], meanwhile other design delivers 36 dB OCSRs [22]. An OCSR of 1 dB is necessary to improve the performance of an RoF link [23], [24].…”