High-power electro-optic switch technology based on novel transparent ceramic

A novel high-power polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology based on a reciprocal structure Sagnac interferometer and a transparent quadratic electro-optic ceramic is proposed and analyzed theoretically and experimentally.The electro-optic ceramic is used as a phase retarder for the clockwise and counter-clockwise polarized light, and their polarization directions are adjusted to their orthogonal positions by using two half-wave plates. The output light then becomes polarization-independent with respect to the polarization direction of the input light. The switch characteristics, including splitter ratios and polarization states, are theoretically analyzed and simulated in detail by the matrix multiplication method.An experimental setup is built to verify the analysis and experimental results. A new component ceramic is used and a nonpolarizing cube beam splitter(NPBS) replaces the beam splitter(BS) to lower the ON/OFF voltage to 305 V and improve the extinction ratio by 2 d B. Finally, the laser-induced damage threshold for the proposed switch is measured and discussed.It is believed that potential applications of this novel polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology will be wide,especially for ultrafast high-power laser systems.     

Optical characteristics of transparent PMNT ceramic and its application at high speed electro-optic switch

The optical characteristics of transparent lead magnesium niobate titanate (PMNT) electro-optic ceramic, including the electro-optic phase modulation, electric hysteresis property and thermo-optic coefficient, are investigated in detail. Based on this novel ceramic, a polarization independent electro-optic switch by using fiber Sagnac interferometer (FSI) structure is realized. An initial π-shift is introduced into the Sagnac loop to eliminate the effect of the polarization orientation of the incident light on the switch performance. Then an electrically controllable PMNT phase retarder is used to switch the optical signal between the reflection and transmission ports. Some theoretical analyses are given and the switch performances are also discussed, including the thermal characteristic and different switching frequency response.     

Fiber Sagnac π-shifted interferometer for a polarization-independent PMNT high-speed electro-optic switch

We propose and analyze experimentally a high-speed polarization-independent lead magnesium niobate titanate (PMNT) electro-optic switch using a π-shifted fiber Sagnac interferometer (FSI). In the proposed switch, the PMNT high-speed electro-optic ceramic is used as a phase retarder for two counterpropagating waves, which can switch the energy between the reflection and transmission ports of the FSI. Because of an initial π shift introduced into the FSI by actively adjusting the polarization controller, the power response of the switch is independent of the polarization orientation of the incident light, which induces the polarization-independent characteristic of the switch. An optical switch with cross talk lower than -25 dB and a switching time of less than 200 ns is experimentally investigated. The insertion loss and electric hysteresis property are also demonstrated. Finally, a scheme to form the n × n switch matrix is proposed.     

畴反转结构片状集成4×4电光开关的设计与仿真

基于铁电体畴反转结构的电光偏转特性,设计了一种片状集成的4×4电光开关,其由四个结构相同的半抛物和四个抛物形微小偏转器集成构成.通过优化抛物形偏转器结构,给出了电光开关的设计参量,电光开关性能通过光束传播法进行仿真模拟,仿真结果表明该开关切实可行.实际应用中,系统误差可以通过电场调节补偿,使光路准确交换.该片状电光开关的整体尺寸为48 mm×2.2 mm×0.5 mm(长×宽×高),最大使用电场约13.73 V/μm,适用于高速交换的光互连系统.     

Integrated Electro-Optic Switches Based on Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Waveguides

Two integrated electro-optic switches based on smectic C * ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) planar waveguides oriented in the bookshelf geometry have been designed and realized. In order to test the first switch, a particular waveguide structure consisting of a three-stage device, having a thin FLC film middle stage and two glass waveguides as other stages, has been designed and realized. The second one is realized by a planar waveguide with a smectic C * ferroelectric liquid crystal overlayer. In this article the design, the realization, and the experimental characterization of electro-optical switches are reported. The electro-optical behavior and the response time of both devices have been studied for different configurations for both TE and TM polarization. Our main aim was to demonstrate the feasibility of an integrated electro-optic device based on a FLC waveguide, and our experimental results provide a number of interesting indications about device optimization and practical applications.     

一种新的偏振无关电光调制器

提出一种全新的偏振无关强度调制器设计原理.这种调制器只需要一个电光晶体,不需要辅助偏振片,电极设计和制作相当简单.采用线性电光效应耦合波理论对光在调制器中的传播行为进行详细的研究,经过理论计算,发现光通过调制器后,出射的调制光强不依赖于入射光的偏振状态.最后,以4 mm晶系中的SBN和KNSBN为例,给出调制器在横向应用时电光晶体优化切割方案.     

基于电光效应的光子频移研究

系统分析了如何通过电光调制的方式来消除量子点纠缠光源中不同偏振模式光子之间的频率差异,并实际设计了一套泡克耳斯盒电光调制方案,通过给其加载约8 V/ns的上升沿或下降沿电压,实现了18 MHz带宽的光子频率的移动.表明只需增大调制电压斜率,便可以有效实现GHz以上的频率移动,为未来实现确定性完美的量子点纠缠光源提供了切实可行的依据.     

A 2 by 2 wavelength tunable Fabry-Perot filter by using an electro-optic polymer film

A tunable Fabry-Perot (F-P) filter by using electro-optic polymer film is proposed. The electro-optic polymer is alkoxysilane dye (ASD)/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid material, whose electro-optic coefficient γ33 is about 5 pm/V. The wavelength tuning range of 3.8 nm under 400-V DC voltage and the nonlinear characteristic with the electric field have been obtained via electro-optical properties of polymer. Both of polymer film fabrication and F-P filter design have been introduced. The tunable F-P filter is designed for the application of two-input/two-output port wavelength-selective optical switch. Also, some problems have been discussed in this letter.     

Photonics Devices Based on Hybrid Approach Combining Liquid Crystals and Sol-Gel Waveguides

In this article, the analysis of both an integrated electro-optic switch and a continuously tunable filter based on a Bragg grating in planar waveguide with a liquid crystal overlayer is reported. The fast and bistable switching of smectic C* in the surface-stabilized liquid crystal structure has been utilized in order to investigate the possibility of realizing an integrated electro-optical switch, whereas the soft-mode of smectic A* liquid crystals, allowing a continuous modulation of extraordinary refractive index, have been utilized in order to design an integrated wavelength filter in the wavelength range of interest for optical communication. Moreover, the performance of an electro-optical router, working at the wavelength of 1.55 μm and based on the multimode interference effects together with the electro-optic effect of smectic A* liquid crystal, is theoretically and numerically discussed.     

Wave coupling theory of quadratic electro-optic effect and its applications

Wave coupling theory of quadratic electro-optic effect is developed by considering the third-order nonlinearity as a perturbation in lossless nonmagnetic centrosymmetric medium. A general solution of the resultant equations is given to describe the quadratic electro-optic effect for the electromagnetic wave propagating along an arbitrary direction with applied external electric field. The effect of the polarization state on electro-optic coupling is studied in paraelectric phase KLTN crystals. A novel application of wave coupling theory of quadratic effect is described, namely polarization rotator, which can rotate the polarization of the electromagnetic wave with an arbitrary angle.     

Photonics Devices Based on Hybrid Approach Combining Liquid Crystals and Sol-Gel Waveguides

In this article, the analysis of both an integrated electro-optic switch and a continuously tunable filter based on a Bragg grating in planar waveguide with a liquid crystal overlayer is reported. The fast and bistable switching of smectic C* in the surface-stabilized liquid crystal structure has been utilized in order to investigate the possibility of realizing an integrated electro-optical switch, whereas the soft-mode of smectic A* liquid crystals, allowing a continuous modulation of extraordinary refractive index, have been utilized in order to design an integrated wavelength filter in the wavelength range of interest for optical communication. Moreover, the performance of an electro-optical router, working at the wavelength of 1.55 μm and based on the multimode interference effects together with the electro-optic effect of smectic A* liquid crystal, is theoretically and numerically discussed.     

偏振方向对THz电光探测影响的理论研究

采用线性电光效应耦合波理论，系统地研究了用无中心反演对称性的立方晶系晶体作为探测晶体时，terahertz(THz)辐射信号和探测光的偏振方向对电光探测的影响. 研究结果发现，THz辐射和探测光的偏振方向都对电光探测影响很大，沿(110)方向传播时可以获得最大的探测灵敏度，最适合THz的横场探测. 计算研究的部分结果与已有的实验结果相一致，可为电光探测器的设计提供有用的指导. 关键词： 电光探测 THz辐射 偏振 线性电光效应耦合波理论     

串联式电光开关实现光脉冲宽度大范围可调

为了获得大范围脉宽可调的光脉冲,以连续激光为光源,采用两个外腔调制型电光开关,将该连续激光调制成单脉冲光源.其中两个外腔调制型电光开关采用串联方式工作,两者之间的检偏方向相互垂直,由第一级电光开关实现激光脉冲的快速开启,第二级电光开关实现激光脉冲的快速关闭.通过延时同步机对两个电光开关的动作时间进行控制,从而实现光脉冲宽度大范围可调.实验研究获得了最窄脉冲宽度40 ns,最宽脉冲宽度400 μs的532 nm激光脉冲.     

串联式电光开关实现光脉冲宽度大范围可调

为了获得大范围脉宽可调的光脉冲,以连续激光为光源,采用两个外腔调制型电光开关,将该连续激光调制成单脉冲光源.其中两个外腔调制型电光开关采用串联方式工作,两者之间的检偏方向相互垂直,由第一级电光开关实现激光脉冲的快速开启,第二级电光开关实现激光脉冲的快速关闭.通过延时同步机对两个电光开关的动作时间进行控制,从而实现光脉冲宽度大范围可调.实验研究获得了最窄脉冲宽度40 ns,最宽脉冲宽度400μs的532 nm激光脉冲.     

Tuneable polarization mode dispersion emulator: Fixed polarization maintaining fibre sections and rotatable polarization orientations

We design a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) emulator capable of adjusting first-order (FO-) and second-order (SO-) PMD statistics, making it capable to mimick differerent fibre links or fibre plants. The emulator can adjust PMD statistics by controlling mode coupling angles between polarization maintaining fibres (PMFs) of fixed length using its seven rotatable electro-optic polarization rotators which act as half waveplates (HWPs). The stability and repeatability of the emulator under a stable laboratory environment makes PMD statistics reproducible. The control mechanism of the emulator is in real-time.     

氦气压强对单脉冲过程电光开关特性影响的数值分析

根据单脉冲过程电光开关气体放电的微观物理过程,提出了氦气放电的一维数值模型。用数值方法分析了气压对单脉冲过程电光开关的气体击穿、放电电流、KDP晶体两侧电压、开关效率、开关速度、等离子区电子温度及等离子体浓度的影响。数值计算结果表明,气压主要影响开关速度的快慢,而对开关效率的大小影响作用不大。在相同开关脉冲的驱动下,在气压较低的情况下,开关速度随气压增大而变快;而在气压较高的情况下,开关速度随气压增大而变慢。由此得到口径为8cm×8cm电光开关的最佳工作气压为1-4 kPa的结论。     

Beam steering of external cavity diode laser by an intracavity electro-optic ceramic deflector

A novel beam-steering external cavity diode laser using an intracavity lead lanthanum zirconate titanate(PLZT) electro-optic ceramic deflector is proposed and demonstrated experimentally.The laser consists of a semiconductor laser with single mode fiber coupled output,polarization controller,PLZT electro-optic ceramic deflector,and output concave mirror.By applying proper driven electrical signals on the PLZT electro-optic deflector,the beam deflection angle achieves 5.8 mrad at 1 000 V.A high-speed beam-steering property with less than 120-ns switching time is also observed.Moreover,a good beam quality with Gaussian spatial profile and a linear polarization state are obtained.     

Dispersion of electro-optic coefficients in sillenite crystals

The photorefractive crystals of the sillenite family (Bi₁₂SiO₂₀ or BSO, Bi₁₂GeO₂₀ or BGO, and Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ or BTO) that belong to the cubic 23 point group are optically active, and exhibit the piezoelectric, elasto-optic, electro-optic and electrogyration effect. In this paper we measure the dispersion of the electro-optic coefficient for all the crystals of the sillenite family in the visible spectral range (500–800 nm). For this we measure by ellipsometry the polarization properties of a beam transmitted in the transverse configuration under the action of an externally applied field. The experimental data are fitted with an analytical expression of the beam polarization to find the electro-optic coefficient. The results show a normal dispersion of the electro-optic coefficient in all three sillenite crystals, similarly to other electro-optic crystals.     

电控径向双折射滤波器的横向超分辨与轴向扩展焦深

提出利用电控径向双折射光瞳滤波器实现横向超分辨性能参量的调制与轴向扩展焦深。该光瞳滤波器由两个平行偏光镜,一个电光晶体与一个径向对称双折射晶体组成。分析了电光晶体与径向双折射元件对光偏振态的空间调制作用,通过控制电光晶体的相位延迟实现径向中心处初始偏振态的控制,与径向双折射元件横向偏振态调制结合,实现了庞加莱球上偏振态演变路径与阶段的控制,从而对焦点附近偏振态进行空间调制以实现光强的重新分布。研究结果表明,外加电场调制可以实现横向上超分辨性能的调控以及轴向上焦深的扩展,并可得到相应的电光相位延迟范围。     

Analysis on skin-effect of a polymer shielded push–pull directional coupler electro-optic switch

By using the extended point-matching method, coupled mode theory, and electro-optic modulation theory, design and optimization are carried out for a polymer shielded push–pull directional coupler electro-optic switch. A novel technique and the relative formulas are presented for analyzing the influences of the skin-effect on the microwave characteristic parameters and the switching performances. Simulation results show that the voltages of the cross- and bar-states are 0 and ±2.93 V, respectively, and the coupling length is 4.139 mm. Considering the influences of the skin-effect, the cutoff switching frequency is 172 GHz, the insertion loss is in the range of 1.920–1.975 dB, the crosstalk is less than ?20 dB, and the switching time is 31.18–31.40 ps within the range of the switching frequency from 0.72 to 172 GHz. The designed switch exhibits superior characteristics including good impedance match, low switching voltage, and high cutoff switching frequency.