Ultra‐wideband GCPW‐MS‐GCPW driven electrode for low‐cost and wide range application electro‐optic modulators

Abstract

International audienceElectro-optic modulators are key components in high bit-rate optical transmissions. Decreasing the manufacturing cost without damage on performances is one of the most challenging issues for such components. We demonstrate that the electro-optic modulators based on polymer are compatible with high bandwidth requirements. Indeed, according to the results obtained by numerical simulation and partly validated by experiments, with the via-free GCPW-MS-GCPW electrodes proposed and analyzed in this article, the (400 MHz–67 GHz) bandwidth is achievable with electro-optic modulators based on suitable polymers. These encouraging results are very useful for low-cost mass production of polymer-based electro-optic modulators for a wide range of applications: digital and analogue high bit-rate transmissions

Coplanar-Microstrip Transitions for Ultra-Wideband Communications

“…In order to reduce the driven voltage of the modulator, the thickness of thin film polymer is fixed usually between 8 µm (El-Gibari, et al, 2010b) and 10 µm (Michalak, et al, 2006). So, our transitions are realized on 10-µm BCB polymer.…”

Ultra-wideband GCPW-MS transitions for characterising microwave and photonic components based on thin polymer

“…Table 1 presents the performances of this transition as a function of the MS line length L and also the Al thickness. With L ¼ 5 mm, the bandwidth will be limited to 84 GHz even if the thickness of Al increases because of the excitation of the CPM (CPW MS) mode [10]. With L ¼ 10 mm, this bandwidth can be significantly improved with 4 mm of Al thickness.…”

“…A very wide bandwidth can be obtained. This bandwidth is only limited by the excitation of spurious resonance [10]. Table 1 presents the performances of this transition as a function of the MS line length L and also the Al thickness.…”

“…However, the increase of this surface has drawbacks at high frequencies. Indeed, resonance modes appear at frequencies inversely proportional to the maximum size of the CPW part [10]. It is hence necessary to optimise the dimensions of the CPW part.…”

Ultra-broad bandwidth and low-loss GCPW-MS transitions on low- k substrates

“…The CPM mode causes the resonance peaks in the S 21 -parameter curve by diverting input electromagnetic energy from the CPW mode. The thickness of the substrate has also an important influence on the CPM mode [10]. One can use a low-k and high resistivity material in thin film for substrate deposited on cheap LRS wafers to push the parasitic resonance to very high frequency, so the high cutoff frequency is increased.…”