Microwave integrated optical modulator

Abstract
A Ti-diffused lithium niobate, traveling wave modulator has been fabricated and tested at microwave frequencies. A Mach–Zehnder interferometer optical configuration and a coplanar waveguide electrical transmission line are used. For a 4-mm interaction length, the modulator has a 3-dB bandwidth of 13 GHz and requires only 2 V to switch at λ=840 nm. The frequency response is measured directly using an ultrahigh speed photodiode, and the test setup therefore constitutes the highest bandwidth efficient electro-optical transmission system ever reported.