100-megabit-per-second resonant-cavity phase modulator for coherent optical communications.

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• High-speed optical modulators are crucial for modern communication systems.
• Electro-optic modulators offer potential for fast signal processing.
• Resonant cavities can enhance optical effects for modulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, implement, and verify a resonant-cavity electro-optic phase modulator.
• To achieve data rates exceeding 100 Mbits/s.
• To leverage phase dispersion for efficient optical modulation.

Main Methods:

• Constructed a resonant cavity using a highly reflective backmirror and an electro-optic crystal.
• Applied voltage to the crystal to perturb optical path length and resonance frequency.
• Utilized heterodyne detection and radio frequency spectrum analysis to measure performance.

Main Results:

• Experimental verification of a resonant-cavity electro-optic phase modulator.
• Demonstrated operation at a data rate of 100 Mbits/s.
• Measured phase shifts showed good agreement with theoretical predictions.

Conclusions:

• The resonant-cavity electro-optic phase modulator is a viable technology for high-speed optical signal processing.
• The phase-dispersion effect near resonance enables efficient modulation.
• The developed modulator meets the target data rate for advanced optical communication.