Linearized optical directional-coupler modulator at 1.3 μm

We investigate electrooptic directional-coupler modulators operating at the wavelength of 1.3 μm, to have high linearity in their response function. The inverse Fourier transform technique was used to synthesize the spatially varying coupling function from a specified response function. The resulting coupling function was then used to determine the shape of the modulator structure. Modulators to have the response function of the form of a triangular (`linear') function have been designed, fabricated, and tested. The third-order intermodulation-limited spurious-free dynamic range, at -130-dBm normalized noise floor, of 96.2 dB/Hz^2/3 was obtained.