Optical intensity modulation to 40 GHz using a waveguide electro-optic switch

Abstract

We report the intensity modulation of an optical carrier at frequencies as high as 40 GHz using a Ti:LiNbO3 optical waveguide switch. The device is shown to exhibit a small-signal electrical 3 dB bandwidth of >22 GHz and −8 dB response at 40 GHz. A high-speed self-electro-optic-sampling arrangement based on a mode-locked injection laser is used to observe the modulation in the time domain.