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Analytical model for calculating the nonlinear distortion in silicon-based electro-optic Mach-Zehnder modulators

Analytical model for calculating the nonlinear distortion in silicon-based electro-optic Mach-Zehnder modulators
Analytical model for calculating the nonlinear distortion in silicon-based electro-optic Mach-Zehnder modulators
In this study, an analytical model for calculating the nonlinear harmonic/intermodulation distortion for RF signals in silicon-based electro-optic modulators is investigated by considering the nonlinearity on the effective index change curve with the operation point and the device structure simultaneously. Distortion expressions are obtained and theoretical results are presented showing that optimal modulator parameters can be found to linearize it. Moreover, the harmonic distortion of a 1 mm silicon-based asymmetric MZI is RF characterized and used to corroborate the theoretical results. Based on the present model, the nonlinear distortion in terms of bias voltage or operating wavelength is calculated and validated by comparing with the experimental data, showing a good agreement between measurements and theory. Analog photonic link quality parameter like carrier-to-distortion is one of the parameters that can be found with that model. Finally, the modulation depth is measured to assure that no over-modulation is produced.
0733-8724
3603-3613
Gutiérrez, A.M.
3a9392c0-2d2c-4f98-89b1-bebda1c59833
Brimont, Antoine
65d0f266-a134-4c75-9990-097b5b107364
Herrera, Javier
cf27d098-d824-49ec-b1d4-4d475959f29c
Aamer, Mariam
67d191ff-eecc-4639-b357-512ebb526ad0
Thomson, Dave J.
17c1626c-2422-42c6-98e0-586ae220bcda
Gardes, Frederic Y.
7a49fc6d-dade-4099-b016-c60737cb5bb2
Reed, Graham T.
ca08dd60-c072-4d7d-b254-75714d570139
Fedeli, J-M.
19c1ac66-4239-45f3-879b-c06653685550
Sanchis, Pablo
aa5e2989-4cc9-411c-a468-b4bba6a66876
Gutiérrez, A.M.
3a9392c0-2d2c-4f98-89b1-bebda1c59833
Brimont, Antoine
65d0f266-a134-4c75-9990-097b5b107364
Herrera, Javier
cf27d098-d824-49ec-b1d4-4d475959f29c
Aamer, Mariam
67d191ff-eecc-4639-b357-512ebb526ad0
Thomson, Dave J.
17c1626c-2422-42c6-98e0-586ae220bcda
Gardes, Frederic Y.
7a49fc6d-dade-4099-b016-c60737cb5bb2
Reed, Graham T.
ca08dd60-c072-4d7d-b254-75714d570139
Fedeli, J-M.
19c1ac66-4239-45f3-879b-c06653685550
Sanchis, Pablo
aa5e2989-4cc9-411c-a468-b4bba6a66876

Gutiérrez, A.M., Brimont, Antoine, Herrera, Javier, Aamer, Mariam, Thomson, Dave J., Gardes, Frederic Y., Reed, Graham T., Fedeli, J-M. and Sanchis, Pablo (2013) Analytical model for calculating the nonlinear distortion in silicon-based electro-optic Mach-Zehnder modulators. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 31 (23), 3603-3613. (doi:10.1109/JLT.2013.2286838).

Record type: Article

Abstract

In this study, an analytical model for calculating the nonlinear harmonic/intermodulation distortion for RF signals in silicon-based electro-optic modulators is investigated by considering the nonlinearity on the effective index change curve with the operation point and the device structure simultaneously. Distortion expressions are obtained and theoretical results are presented showing that optimal modulator parameters can be found to linearize it. Moreover, the harmonic distortion of a 1 mm silicon-based asymmetric MZI is RF characterized and used to corroborate the theoretical results. Based on the present model, the nonlinear distortion in terms of bias voltage or operating wavelength is calculated and validated by comparing with the experimental data, showing a good agreement between measurements and theory. Analog photonic link quality parameter like carrier-to-distortion is one of the parameters that can be found with that model. Finally, the modulation depth is measured to assure that no over-modulation is produced.

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e-pub ahead of print date: 30 October 2013
Published date: 1 December 2013
Organisations: Optoelectronics Research Centre, Physics & Astronomy, Electronics & Computer Science

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 367683
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/367683
ISSN: 0733-8724
PURE UUID: ab86e9fa-b7fe-40b7-9cb3-733adb58effc
ORCID for Frederic Y. Gardes: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1400-3272

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Date deposited: 05 Aug 2014 10:28
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:40

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Contributors

Author: A.M. Gutiérrez
Author: Antoine Brimont
Author: Javier Herrera
Author: Mariam Aamer
Author: Dave J. Thomson
Author: Frederic Y. Gardes ORCID iD
Author: Graham T. Reed
Author: J-M. Fedeli
Author: Pablo Sanchis

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