GaAs traveling-wave optical modulator using a modulated coplanar strip electrode with periodic cross-tie overlay

This paper proposes and analyzes a GaAs traveling-wave optical modulator which uses a modulated coplanar strip electrode with periodic cross-tie overlay. This slow-wave structure can be designed to satisfy phase velocity and impedance matching conditions simultaneously. The dominant conductor loss in the slow-wave structure is reduced using the modulated coplanar strip electrode. The calculated 3-dB modulation bandwidth (100 GHz) is much wider than the bandwidth limit (30 GHz) of conventional electrode structures that are limited by phase velocity mismatch.This work was supported by the U.S. Army Research Office under contract DAAL-03-88-K-0005 and the Texas Advanced Technology Program.