Picosecond pulse response of broad-band guided-wave interferometric light modulators

Abstract

Picosecond pulse operation of the guided-wave light modulator is reported in this paper. First, we analyze the time responses of phase and intensity modulators of the traveling-wave type, and the modulated output waveforms related to the modulating pulses are discussed. It is shown that there is an optimum interaction (or electrode) length of the modulator whereby the drive voltage is minimized for a desired output pulse width. The traveling-wave push-pull light intensity modulator of Ti-diffused LiNbO 3 waveguides was modulated by a pulse train of 1 GHz repetition frequency, and the modulated output was observed by the image tube streak camera modified for sinusoidal scan at the same frequency. The duration of the modulated light pulses was less than 45 ps, which shows good agreement with the predicted one.