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High-Performance Electroabsorption Modulators Utilizing Microwave Reflection Control Technique | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore

High-Performance Electroabsorption Modulators Utilizing Microwave Reflection Control Technique


Abstract:

A microwave reflection control technique that improves the performance of electroabsorption modulators (EAMs) is presented. The technique exploits the superposition of in...Show More

Abstract:

A microwave reflection control technique that improves the performance of electroabsorption modulators (EAMs) is presented. The technique exploits the superposition of incident and reflected electrical signals as a modulation signal to enhance the modulation signal voltage applied to EAMs and therefore differs from conventional impedance matching techniques in terms of operating principle. A nearly flat electrical-to-optical frequency response up to 50 GHz and significant improvement in eye openings at 40 Gbit/s have been achieved with the technique. The effects of the technique are demonstrated through both experimental and computational investigations.
Published in: Journal of Lightwave Technology ( Volume: 26, Issue: 5, March 2008)
Page(s): 505 - 511
Date of Publication: 03 March 2008

ISSN Information:


I. Introduction

An Electroabsorption Modulator (EAM) is a promising transmitter device for use in 40-Gbit/s very-short-reach optical link applications because of its compactness and ease of operation. In order to improve EAM performance, it is necessary to optimize various aspects of the device. The length, width, and layer structure of the device optical core are the critical design issues for achieving a wider modulation bandwidth and a higher extinction ratio [1]–[3]. If we view the EAM as an electrical device, another important issue is how to efficiently feed the microwave modulation signal into the EAM. Impedance mismatch between standard 50- terminations and the modulator core, whose characteristic impedance is typically 20–25 , inevitably causes electrical signal reflection, leading to degradation of device performance, such as the small-signal electrical-to-optical (E/O) frequency response, due to the less efficient feed of the modulation signal into the device.

References

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