Synchronous traveling wave electro-optic light pipe modulator
US3994566A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 23, 1975 |
| Grant date | Nov 30, 1976 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 23, 1995 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/0356
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
There is disclosed a synchronous traveling wave electro-optic modulator for ultra-wideband infrared laser communications systems which provides optical waveguiding of the laser beam through an interaction distance which is large relative to the diffraction limit of the laser beam and which affords essentially perfect radio frequency and optical velocity synchronism at a relatively high electrical impedance level by appropriate choice of the design parameters of the device. The device comprises an array of very slender rectangular rods of electro-optic material such as cadmium telluride laid end to end in juxtaposition to form a light pipe for an infrared laser beam. The length to cross-section ratio of the light pipe is many times greater than that which is determined by the diffraction limit and consequently the voltage and power required to achieve a given depth of modulation is substantially reduced. The modulating signal is applied as a synchronous or nearly synchronous traveling wave across two parallel strip electrodes which form a TEM transmission line exhibiting a purely resistive impedance, with matched termination, and a theoretically infinite base bandwith. An appropriat…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.