title: Optimized half-wave voltage and insertion loss in a strip-loaded waveguide electro-optic polymer modulator.
abstract: A strip-loaded waveguide, electro-optic modulator was designed and analyzed in terms of single mode conditions, optical loss due to the metal electrodes, modulation efficiency, and mode size. Two designs were compared: Design 1 optimized the half-wave voltage (V(π)=1.1 V) with a nearly symmetric waveguide by maximizing modulation efficiency and minimizing the overall thickness of the waveguide; Design 2 optimized the insertion loss by reducing coupling loss by 4.6 dB via a strongly asymmetric waveguide that maximizes the overall mode size to most efficiently overlap with a single mode fiber. Design 2 also has a favorable half-wave voltage (V(π)=1.75 V). Some general guidelines in the selection of cladding layers in a detailed design of a poled-polymer electro-optic modulator incorporating a strip-loaded waveguide structure are suggested.
authors.affiliation: Electro-Optics Program, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio 45469, USA. aadavis.engineer@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Antonio A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Perry P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Yaney
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Grote