High-throughput GaAs PIN electrooptic modulator with a 3-dB bandwidth of 9.6 GHz at 1.3 microm

GaAs PIN traveling-wave modulators with terminating resistors of various resistances operated at 1.3 microm have been fabricated from material grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) on n(+) (100) GaAs substrates. It was found that modulators with positive reflection coefficients at the load exhibted initial rolloff in the frequency response. However, modulators with negative reflection coefficients at the load exhibited some peaking behavior at low frequencies at the expense of lower detected microwave powers. Based on this observation, a compromised PIN traveling-wave modulator was designed and measured to have a 3-dB bandwidth of 9.6 GHz.