Abstract

The design and characterization of a dual-drive (DD) Z-cut Ti:LiNbO₃ electrooptical modulator are presented. Both the radio frequency (RF) electrode layout and the optical splitters and combiners of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer are investigated: The former is designed to avoid RF line crosstalk, whereas the latter is to obtain a low-loss longitudinally short splitter structure, able to properly separate the interferometer straight optical waveguide sections. First, the RF analysis is addressed, simulating the small-signal behavior of the DD coplanar waveguide electrode structure as a function of the central ground width. The performances of different splitter layouts (circular segment bends, sin-bends, and offset bends) are then investigated using the beam propagation method. Finally, experimental results on the electrical and optical test pattern structures, and of the DD Z-cut complete modulator, are discussed and compared with simulations.

© 2006 IEEE

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