High-performance coherent optical modulators based on thin-film lithium niobate platform

Abstract The coherent transmission technology using digital signal processing and advanced modulation formats, is bringing networks closer to the theoretical capacity limit of optical fibres, the Shannon limit. The in-phase/quadrature electro-optic modulator that encodes information on both the amplitude and the phase of light, is one of the underpinning devices for the coherent transmission technology. Ideally, such modulator should feature a low loss, low drive voltage, large bandwidth, low chirp and compact footprint. However, these requirements have been only met on separate occasions. Here, we demonstrate integrated thin-film lithium niobate in-phase/quadrature modulators that fulfil these requirements…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 11761131001, 11690031
• WN
  Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics
• GP
  Guangdong Provincial Pearl River Talents Program

  Award: 2017BT01X121