Novel integrated optic intensity modulator based on mode coupling

The analysis, design, realization, and measurements of a novel intensity modulator are reported. The operating principle is based on mode coupling between a passive low-loss SiON waveguide and an electro-optic high-loss polymer waveguiding structure. Matching the waveguides is critical and results in severe demands for the technology. Extended simulations by the Coupled Mode Theory, the Leaky Wave Model, and Finite Difference Beam Propagation Method resulted in the design of several modulator structures. After realization, modulation could be demonstrated at 632 nm and at 1523 nm using lossy waveguiding modes and surface plasmon modes.     

Waveguiding behavior of VLS-grown one-dimensional Ga-doped In2O3 nanostructures

Highly crystalline undoped and Ga-doped indium oxide nanorods with square-shaped faceted morphology were fabricated through the vapor-liquid-solid process at moderate temperature. Effects of Ga incorporation on the growth rate, morphology, and crystallinity of the nanostructures were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Defect structure and waveguiding behavior of the 1-D In₂O₃ nanostructures have been studied using microRaman and micro photoluminescence spectroscopies. The appearance of several resonant modes superposed over the broad room temperature micro-photoluminescence spectra of the nanostructures demonstrates their waveguiding behaviors. While the pristine or undoped In₂O₃ nanostructures of 20–150 nm widths revealed Fabry-Pérot resonance modes, the Ga-incorporated nanostructures of 20–100 nm width revealed whispering gallery modes due to their smaller widths. The quality factor (Q) of the resonators was estimated to be about 20.86 and 188.79 for the pristine and Ga-incorporated nanostructures, respectively, indicating a huge enhancement due to Ga incorporation. The increment in the Q factor on Ga incorporation in In₂O₃ nanorods opens up the possibility of their utilization for the development of new optical transmitters and resonators, and fabrication of nanoscopic lasing devices.     

Waveguiding effect in 2D metal–dielectric–metal grating structure

We have studied the waveguiding effect in a 2D metal–dielectric–metal (MDM) grating structure formed on a quartz substrate. The grating was first formed via e-beam lithography and subsequently covered by Ag/MgF₂/Ag MDM films. At a pitch of 300 nm in both x- and y-directions, low reflectance and transmittance were observed in the UV–VIS range, indicating efficient coupling of normal incident light into waveguiding modes. As evidence, we measured the spectrum of the waveguide from the edge, and the bandwidth of the spectrum was as narrow as ∼74 nm. The bandwidth of the waveguide can be further improved by increasing the MDM stack number. In addition, the bandwidth can also be widened by increasing the pitch of the structure. The physical mechanism underlying the phenomena was analyzed and experimentally confirmed. Such effect could be useful in many applications, such as DFB lasers, solar cells, waveguides, and light emitting devices.     

Phase-matched electrooptic modulator at 84 GHz for blue light: Theory,experimental test and applications

We describe the theory and experimental realization of an ultrafast phase-matched electrooptic modulator, working with 486 nm light and a modulation frequency of 84 GHz. To achieve phase matching for arbitrarily high modulation frequencies the laser beam is guided with several internal total reflections along a zig-zag path through a LiTaO₃ crystal. The method was studied experimentally with a 84 GHz modulator and a highly stable 486 nm dye laser. The maximum modulation index of this setup was about 5.0%. Beat signals between either the first- or the second-order sidebands and another laser were observed. This modulator was used to directly measure the 671 GHz 1S–2S isotope shift of hydrogen and deuterium with radio-frequency accuracy.     

Rod type photonic crystal optical line defect waveguides with optical modulations

This paper reports the design and principles of two dimensional rod-type photonic crystal (PhC) line defect waveguides for bandgap based optical waveguiding, static modulation and high speed dynamic optical switchings. Experiments were carried out for both high aspect ratio and slab type configurations. The differences in waveguiding mechanisms for the two configurations resulting from the presence of bottom cladding systems, without out-of-plane symmetries are compared for their advantages and disadvantages. In particular, the designs of non-top-clad optical waveguides of layout sizes within micrometers and operational frequencies centered at the optical communication wavelength of 1550 nm, were investigated for the feasibility of large scale integration by batch fabrication process techniques – such as sub-micrometer optical lithography etc. Based on such techniques, specifically designed dispersions of line defect PhC waveguides within a missing row of PhC rods were accompanied by optical testing structures of suitable coupling modes. Optical measurements of waveguiding coefficients were therefore enabled for the different configurations, together with further static and dynamic modulations. PACS 42.70.Qs     

Ray-optics analysis of the coupling efficiency from a gaussian beam to a rectangular multimode embedded strip waveguide

Abstract

The modified ray-optics method is used to analyze the coupling efficiency from a Gaussian beam to a rectangular multimode embedded strip waveguide. It is convenient for analyzing the case of a simple waveguide structure because of reduced computation time. The conditions for determining which optical rays can be coupled into the waveguide to become the waveguiding modes, as well as the effective receiving area of the waveguide, are derived in this work. The data obtained by this method are compared with those calculated by the well-known overlap integral theorem and Marcatili's models for investigating the validity of the modified ray-optics method.     

Optimizing Design for the Traveling Wave Electrodes in Low-Drive High-Speed Electro-Optic Polymer Modulators

Electro-optic (EO) polymer modulators are very promising in the realization of cost-effective and high-performance optical transmissions. In this article, general strategies and specific designs of the traveling wave electrodes in EO polymer modulators were presented to reduce the modulator drive power while maintaining a broadband response. The optimum device parameters and corresponding conditions were estimated using finite element method based on electrode design. In calculating the results, the comprehensive characteristics of polymer modulator with 1.21 V half-wave voltage and 91 GHz bandwidth was demonstrated with electro-optic interaction length is 20 mm, electro-optic coefficient is 55 pm/V, and operation wavelength is 1.319 μm. These results agree with the 0.8 V half-wave voltage and 30 mm electro-optic interaction length reported in Science. In the five designs presented, a hybrid electrode structure combining CPW and microstrip lines were advanced. The characteristics of this structure are like that of microstrip lines with a single-arm electrode on one arm of the waveguide, but it solves the problem of microstrip to coaxial line transition and corona polarization.     

Miniaturized structures based on color centers in lithium fluoride: Optical properties and applications

Research activities concerned with color centers in alkali halide films started recently. The use of versatile, well-assessed, and low-cost fabrication techniques consisting of physical vapor deposition of Lithium Fluoride (LiF) films combined with direct writing lithographic processes allows the realization of miniaturized structures, like broad-band emitters, channel waveguides, optical microcavities and point-light sources emitting in the visible spectral range. Promising results have been obtained in the generation, amplification and waveguiding of visible light in LiF treated by low energy electron beams, where the efficient formation of stable primary and aggregate color centers also induces a local modification of the refractive index. A brief overview of the investigated optical properties is presented together with a short discussion about their perspectives of applications in optoelectronics.     

Investigation on optical properties of Bi<Subscript>2.85</Subscript>La<Subscript>0.15</Subscript>TiNbO<Subscript>9</Subscript> thin films by prism coupling technique

Layered-perovskite ferroelectric Bi_2.85La_0.15TiNbO₉ (LBTN) optical waveguiding thin films were grown on fused silica substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that the film is highly (00l) textured. We observed sharp and distinct transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) multimodes and measured the refractive indices of LBTN thin films at 632.8 nm. The ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices were calculated to be n _TE=2.358 and n _TM=2.464, respectively. The film homogeneity and the film-substrate interface were analyzed using an improved version of the inverse Wentzel–Kramer–Brillouin (iWKB) method. The refractive index of the film remains constant at n ₀ within the waveguiding layer. The average transmittance of the film is 70% in the wavelength range of 400–1400 nm and the optical waveguiding properties were evaluated by the optical prism coupling method. Our results showed that the LBTN films are very good electro-optical active material.     

Temperature dependence of coherent phonons in TbVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> crystal probed by ultrafast optical spectroscopy

We report on the monolithic integration of frequency converter and amplitude modulator in a single lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) chip by the use of focussed ultrashort laser pulses. The waveguiding structures are obtained by femtosecond-laser induced internal modification and the electrodes are ablated out of a gold-layer sputtered onto the sample surface.     

Electronic and Resonance Raman Spectra of a Multibridged Iron Porphyrin

Abstract

Reported are the electronic and resonance Raman (rR) spectra of a multibridged iron porphyrin derived from meso-tetra(4-pyridil)porphynate iron(II) by complexing the pyridine residues with [Ru^II(edta)]^2- ions. The polymetallated system exhibits the characteristic Soret band at 428 nm (log ε = 5.2) and a shoulder around 465 nm (4.6). The rR enhancement of the porphyrin vibrational modes is similar to those previously reported for typical porphyrins; however, an additional feature appears around 465 nm, associated with the selective enhancement of some pyridine vibrational modes. Based on the rR excitation profiles the absorption band at 465 nm was assigned to a Ru^II-to-pyridine dπ→Pπ? charge-transfer transition.     

Microwave Photonic Phase Shifter Based on an Integrated Dual-polarization Dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder Modulator without Optical Filter

ABSTRACT

A frequency-doubled microwave photonic phase shifter (MPPS) without optical filter is proposed. The MPPS is based on an integrated dual-polarization dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator (DP-DPMZM) and a polarization modulator (PolM). The DP-DPMZM with a 90° polarization rotator in one arm is used to generate an optical carrier suppressed double sideband (OCS-DSB) signal with orthogonal polarization, and the PolM with two modes opposite phase modulation is used to introduce the optical phase shift between the two orthogonally polarized tones. Simulations show that the MPPS can realize a continuously tunable phase shift of 360° with only one DC bias voltage, and is not sensitive to the optical carrier wavelength and microwave signal frequency since no optical filter is used.     

Nanoimprinted distributed feedback lasers comprising TiO2 thin films: Design guidelines for high performance sensing

Design guidelines for optimizing the sensing performance of nanoimprinted second order distributed feedback dye lasers are presented. The guidelines are verified by experiments and simulations. The lasers, fabricated by UV‐nanoimprint lithography into Pyrromethene doped Ormocomp thin films on glass, have their sensor sensitivity enhanced by a factor of up to five via the evaporation of a titanium dioxide (TiO₂) waveguiding layer. The influence of the TiO₂ layer thickness on the device sensitivity is analyzed with a simple model that accurately predicts experimentally measured wavelength shifts induced by varied superstrate refractive indices. The superstrate refractive index is additionally shown to determine which of the possible waveguiding modes dominates for lasing, indicating a method to flexibly select the polarization of the laser. The detection limit of the sensor system is further discussed, finding an optimum at 7.5· 10⁻⁶ RIU. Wavelength changes caused by dye bleaching must be taken into account for long‐term measurements.     

Design and Simulation of Broadband Beam Splitter on a Silicon Nitride Platform for Optical Coherence Tomography

ABSTRACT

Integrated photonics enables the miniaturization of bulk optical components for biosensing applications such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and is therefore promising for future lab-on-chip solutions. Here, we report the design and simulation of a compact low loss broadband beam splitter with arbitrary coupling ratios on silicon nitride platform for OCT systems. The reported coupler uses asymmetric waveguide-based phase control section for 10:90, 20:80, 30:70, 40:60, and 50:50 splitting ratios and is broadband over 100 nm with the central wavelength of 850 nm. The couplers are realized for transverse electric, transverse magnetic, and fully vectorial modes, and maximum excess loss for all mode types is reported to be less than 0.19 dB. The design tolerance of waveguide width and thickness of the designed coupler is further calculated and is within fabrication limit.     

Towards controlled coupling between a high-Q whispering-gallery mode and a single nanoparticle

We discuss our recent experiments that aim at the realization of coupling between a nano-emitter that is placed at the extremity of a sharp glass-fiber tip and a high-Q whispering-gallery mode. We quantify the influence of the tip using different probes and modes of a microsphere with different quality factors and mode extensions. Our measurements show that a micron-sized tip results in a substantial perturbation of the modes. On the contrary, by using a tip of diameter about 100 nm it should be possible to couple a nanoparticle to the most-confined modes of a microsphere without spoiling quality factors even as high as 10⁸. Received: 10 August 2001 / Revised version: 17 October 2001 / Published online: 23 November 2001     

High-power single-wavelength SOA-based fiber-ring laser with an optical modulator

A semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) fiber-ring laser (SOAFRL) utilizing a fiber-Bragg grating (FBG) and lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) modulator is demonstrated. The laser operates at a wavelength of 1547.64 nm, which is equal to the Bragg wavelength in the saturation region. By removing the LiNbO₃ modulator in the ring, the laser shows a single-wavelength output, which has a lower peak power. The experimental results show that when reaching the saturation level, the system with the LiNbO₃ modulator shows a higher saturation current and peak power compared to that of the system without the modulator. The effect of varying the modulation frequency on the laser output power is investigated. By incorporating the LiNbO₃ modulator in the laser cavity, the side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of the laser is significantly improved and a higher peak power can be obtained at a higher current.     

Efficient design of silicon slot waveguide optical modulator

An optimal design of a slot waveguide is presented for realizing an ultrafast optical modulator based on a 220 nm silicon wafer technology. The recipe is to maximize the confinement and interaction between optical power supported by the waveguide and electric field applied through metallic electrodes. As height of waveguide is fixed at 220 nm, the waveguide and slot width are optimized to maximize the confinement factor of optical power. Moreover, metal electrodes tend to make the waveguide lossy, their optimal placement is calculated to reduce the optical loss and enhance the voltage per unit width in the slot. Performance of an optimally designed slot waveguide with metal electrodes as ultrafast modulator is also discussed.     

Dual-Wavelength Erbium Fiber Laser in a Simple Ring Cavity

Abstract

By controlling the cavity loss of the modes using a variable optical attenuator, specific intensities of distributed modes can be fed back into the erbium-doped fiber to produce signals without mode competition, thus resulting in stable lasing as a means to overcome mode competition in a homogenous gain medium. Two lasing signals were obtained with peak powers of approximately ?3.475 dBm and ?4.386 dBm for wavelengths of 1,540 nm and 1,548 nm, respectively, with a side mode suppression ratio of more than 43 dB.     

Properties of optical resonator with a layered metamaterial

The properties of longitudinal and transverse modes of an open optical resonator containing layers of a metamaterial with negative refractive index are studied. Due to the presence of these layers, the metaresonator acquires unique properties compared to a conventional open resonator. Eigenmodes of the metaresonator are studied in which the properties depend on the average dispersion and the average diffraction, which may be either positive, negative, or zero. The conditions of the existence and profiles of the waveguiding modes are obtained. The resonator with zero average diffraction is of particular interest. It is shown that, in this case, the waveguiding mode may have an arbitrary amplitude profile. Under these conditions, the discrete set of the transverse modes becomes continuous, and the eigenfrequencies become independent of the transverse amplitude profile. The resonator’s stability conditions are derived based on the ray-matrix method and diffraction theory. It is shown that insertion of a metamaterial into the resonator substantially affects the region of stability and existence of the waveguiding modes. In particular, the unstable empty resonator can thus be rendered stable.     

Electronic and Resonance Raman Spectra of the Hexanuclear Cluster [Ru30(02CCH3)6 {(pyrazine)Ru(NH3)5}3 6+

Abstract

The trinuclear [Ru³0(00CCH³)⁶, (pyrazine)³] cluster reacts with pentaammineruthenium(II) ions, yielding a hexanuclear pyrazine bridged complex. The hexanuclear cluster exhibits a broad absorption band around 1000 nm and a strong band at 533 nm, ascribed to metal-metal and metal-pyrazine charge transfer transitions, respectively. Excitation at the visible band leads to the enhancement of the totally symmetric vibrational modes of pyrazine at 1605, 1230, 1085 and 700 cm?¹, and of a vibrational peak at 335 cm?¹, ascribed to the Ru(peripheral)-N(pyrazine) stretching mode. The spectroscopic data are consistent with a weak coupling between the central and peripheral ruthenium ions.