Analog Signal Modulation Using an All-Polymer Ring Resonator Modulator

Electro-optic ring resonator modulators (RRMs) are designed and fabricated on an all-polymer platform. A fabrication technique is developed for all-polymer electro-optic modulators based on commercially available polymer materials. Fabricated RRMs are characterized showing Q-factor of ~44000 and electro-optic coefficient of ~89 pm/V. Targeting RRM implementations in RF photonic links the nonlinearity of analog signal modulation is characterized in fabricated RRM presenting suppression of second and third harmonics at specific modulation points of the Lorentzian transfer function as predicted by theoretical studies. The third harmonic distortion is suppressed by ~37 dB, while the fundamental signal decreases by ~4 dB from maximum modulation index operational point showing the unique capability of RRMs in enhancing microwave photonic links spur-free dynamic ranges in terms of third-order intermodulation distortion.