Linearized microring-loaded Mach-Zehnder modulator with RF gain

A linearized modulator based on the Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) loaded with a second-order allpass microring resonator is proposed and analyzed. The device is shown to exhibit much smaller intermodulation distortion than standard Mach-Zehnder modulators, thus greatly enhancing the device dynam...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of lightwave technology 2006-04, Vol.24 (4), p.1850-1854
Main Authors: Van, V., Herman, W.N., Ping-Tong Ho
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allpass filters
Applied sciences
Bandwidth
Circuit properties
Detection, estimation, filtering, equalization, prediction
Devices
Dynamic range
Electric potential
Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits
Electronics
Electrooptic modulators
electrooptic polymers
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
Gain
Information, signal and communications theory
Integrated optoelectronics. Optoelectronic circuits
Laser optical systems: design and operation
Mach-Zehnder interferometers
microring resonators
Modulators
Optical and optoelectronic circuits
Optics
Optoelectronic devices
Phase modulation
Physics
polymer waveguides
Polymers
Radio frequencies
Radio frequency
Resonance
Resonator filters
Resonators
Resonators, cavities, amplifiers, arrays, and rings
Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices
Signal and communications theory
Signal, noise
Telecommunications and information theory
Transfer functions
Voltage
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Description
Summary:A linearized modulator based on the Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) loaded with a second-order allpass microring resonator is proposed and analyzed. The device is shown to exhibit much smaller intermodulation distortion than standard Mach-Zehnder modulators, thus greatly enhancing the device dynamic range. Gain effect associated with the microring resonance results in a modulator transfer function with high slope efficiency and large RF gain. Moreover, combined with the use of a highly electrooptic polymer, the high slope efficiency allows for the possibility of realizing modulators with subvolt drive voltage. The detrimental effect of loss in the microring resonators on device performance is also investigated and a design approach to mitigate its effect is presented. The proposed modulator can be linearized to any arbitrary nth order by loading the MZI with a higher order allpass microring resonator.
ISSN:0733-8724
1558-2213
DOI:10.1109/JLT.2006.871069