MULTIGIGAHERTZ LUMPED-ELEMENT ELECTROOPTIC MODULATORS

Multigigahertz-bandwidth lumped-element optical-guided-wave Mach-Zehnder interferometric modulators have been designed, fabricated in LiNbO//3 , tested, and analyzed. Three modulators were built having 3 dB bandwidths of 2. 75, 4. 4, and 7. 3 GHz with V pi 's of 7, 14, and 28 V, respectively. A simple RLC equivalent circuit model adequately predicts the packaged modulator performance. Coupled with previously reported work, this demonstrates the ability to reliably design and fabricate lumped-element modulators which operate from dc through 7. 3 GHz.