Broadband, low drive-power electrooptic modulator.
Broadband low drive power electro-optic laser beam optical intensity modulator design and test results
Bicknell, W. E.↗
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Results for “optical modulation”
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Nonlinear optical polymers for electro-optic signal processing
Photonics is an emerging technology, slated for rapid growth in communications systems, sensors, imagers, and computers. Its growth is driven by the need for speed, reliability, and low cost. New nonlinear polymeric materials will be a key technology in the new wave of photonics devices. Electron-conjubated polymeric materials offer large electro-optic figures of merit, ease of processing into films and fibers, ruggedness, low cost, and a plethora of design options. Several new broad classes of second-order nonlinear optical polymers were developed at the Navy's Michelson Laboratory at China Lake, California. Polar alignment in thin film waveguides was achieved by electric-field poling and Langmuir-Blodgett processing. Our polymers have high softening temperatures and good aging properties. While most of the films can be photobleached with ultraviolet (UV) light, some have excellent stability in the 500-1600 nm range, and UV stability in the 290-310 nm range. The optical nonlinear response of these polymers is subpicosecond. Electro-optic switches, frequency doublers, light modulators, and optical data storage media are some of the device applications anticipated for these polymers.
Lindsay, Geoffrey A.↗
Downsampling Photodetector Array with Windowing
In a photon counting detector array, each pixel in the array produces an electrical pulse when an incident photon on that pixel is detected. Detection and demodulation of an optical communication signal that modulated the intensity of the optical signal requires counting the number of photon arrivals over a given interval. As the size of photon counting photodetector arrays increases, parallel processing of all the pixels exceeds the resources available in current application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and gate array (GA) technology; the desire for a high fill factor in avalanche photodiode (APD) detector arrays also precludes this. Through the use of downsampling and windowing portions of the detector array, the processing is distributed between the ASIC and GA. This allows demodulation of the optical communication signal incident on a large photon counting detector array, as well as providing architecture amenable to algorithmic changes. The detector array readout ASIC functions as a parallel-to-serial converter, serializing the photodetector array output for subsequent processing. Additional downsampling functionality for each pixel is added to this ASIC. Due to the large number of pixels in the array, the readout time of the entire photodetector is greater than the time between photon arrivals; therefore, a downsampling pre-processing step is done in order to increase the time allowed for the readout to occur. Each pixel drives a small counter that is incremented at every detected photon arrival or, equivalently, the charge in a storage capacitor is incremented. At the end of a user-configurable counting period (calculated independently from the ASIC), the counters are sampled and cleared. This downsampled photon count information is then sent one counter word at a time to the GA. For a large array, processing even the downsampled pixel counts exceeds the capabilities of the GA. Windowing of the array, whereby several subsets of pixels are designated for processing, is used to further reduce the computational requirements. The grouping of the designated pixel frame as the photon count information is sent one word at a time to the GA, the aggregation of the pixels in a window can be achieved by selecting only the designated pixel counts from the serial stream of photon counts, thereby obviating the need to store the entire frame of pixel count in the gate array. The pixel count se quence from each window can then be processed, forming lower-rate pixel statistics for each window. By having this processing occur in the GA rather than in the ASIC, future changes to the processing algorithm can be readily implemented. The high-bandwidth requirements of a photon counting array combined with the properties of the optical modulation being detected by the array present a unique problem that has not been addressed by current CCD or CMOS sensor array solutions.
Patawaran, Ferze D.↗
Free Space Optical Link Utilizing a Modulated Retro-Reflector Intended for Planetary Duplex Communication Links Between an Orbiter and Surface Unit
Presented are simulation and experimental results that provide duplex optical-free space communication links with minimal power and pointing requirements by using a modulated retro-reflector (MRR) for planetary communications. The design is the MRR resides on the surface of a planet or moon, where energy is scarce, while the source of the communication laser resides on an orbiter to achieve satellite-to-ground communications. Also, a simulated scenario using the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is provided for real world potential results. The information sent through this communication path can range from raw scientific data to multimedia files such as videos and pictures. Bidirectional communications is established with the MRR by using a nested pulse position modulation (PPM) structure. This modulation scheme is then evaluated for its validity in a proof-of-concept experiment. Initial results indicate a promising return-link performance of at least 300 kbps in the nested arrangement.
Booth, Stephanie↗
Binary polarization-shift-keyed modulation for interplanetary CubeSat optical communications
Recent developments for laser communication on CubeSats across interplanetary distances will be presented. A binary polarization-shift-keyed modulation scheme using dual gain-switched diode lasers is developed and demonstrated within an end-to-end link testbed to achieve signal acquisition under extremely poor signal-to-noise conditions (-43.5 dB average signal-to-noise power ratio at a 1-MHz symbol rate) to simulate direct-to-Earth links, while simultaneously targeting a limited SWaP footprint (1.5U envelope). Additional system design and constraints for the compact laser transmitter will be discussed.
Kovalik, Joseph M.↗
Quantum enhanced magneto-optical microscopy and spectroscopy
A system comprising a nonlinear medium (NLM), an optical transduction module, a dual homodyne detector and a processor is provided. The NLM receives at least a pump beam and issues the pump, probe and conjugate beams, where the beams are linearly polarized. Optics route the probe, the conjugate or both beams to the sample. The sample imparts polarization rotation to light that interacts therewith. The optical transduction module imparts to the interacted light an optical phase shift that is a 1:1 transduction of the polarization rotation, where at least one of the probe light or the conjugate light carries the imparted optical phase shift. The processor obtains the optical-phase shift based on respective detection signals from the dual homodyne detector and determines, based on the obtained optical-phase shift, at least one of a Faraday polarization rotation, a Kerr polarization rotation or a spin noise spectrum.
Lawrie, Benjamin J.↗
All-Optical Photochromic Spatial Light Modulators
Photochemical transfer of electrons enables fast reading and writing. New concept based on transfer of electrons between donor and acceptor molecules randomly distributed or covalently linked and dispersed in glassy-polymer host material. Transfer causes significant changes in optical-transmission characteristics of material and used to modulate transmission of reading beam of light impinging on material.
Beratan, David N.↗
Introduction
Optical birefringent devices - synthesis of lossless networks, double-pass technique, optical amplitude modulator, and naturally birefringent and electro-optic networks
NETWORK SYNTHESIS↗
Optical encoder devices and systems
Devices, systems and methods for encoding information using optical components are described. An example photonic filtered sampler includes a spectral shaper configured to receive an optical pulse train, a dispersive element positioned to receive an output of the spectral shaper and to expand spectral contents thereof in time, and a modulator configured to receive an output of the dispersive element and a radio frequency (RF) signal, and to produce a modulated output optical signal in accordance with the RF signal. In this configuration, one or more characteristics of the modulated output optical signal is determined based on a spectral shape provided by the spectral shaper and dispersive properties of the dispersive element.
Buckley, Brandon Walter↗
Calculations of laser cavity dumping for optical communications
For deep-space pulse-position modulation (PPM) optical communication links using Nd:YAG lasers, two types of laser transmitter modulation techniques are available for efficiently producing laser pulses over a broad range of repetition rates: Q-switching and cavity dumping. The desired modulation scheme is dependent on the required pulse repetition frequency and link parameters. These two techniques are discussed, theoretical and numerical calculations of the internal energy of the laser cavity in cavity dumping are described, and an example of cavity dumping is applied to a link for a proposed experiment package on Cassini.
Robinson, D. L.↗
Retrodirective optical system
Fabry-Perot interferometer retrodirective reflector modulator for optical communication
Minott, P. O.↗
Optical properties of KD*P modulators
Longitudinal KD*P modulators are used in ground-based solar magnetographs to eliminate seeing effects. Although the modulators can be used as variable retarders, the optical properties when zero voltage is applied influences the performance on instruments requiring very accurate polarization measurements. Measurements at the Marshall Space Flight Center are discussed in terms of the optical properties of KD*P modulators when zero voltage is applied. The measurements can be used to predict the modulation characteristics of the devices and to determine the polarization accuracy that can be expected from the vector magnetograph.
West, E. A.↗
Fiber-optic interferometer using frequency-modulated laser diodes
This paper describes an electrically passive fiber-optic interferometer which uses dual frequency-modulated laser diodes. Experimental results show that this type of interferometer can attain a displacement range of 100 micron with subnanometer resolution. This technique can serve as the basis for a number of high-precision fiber-optic sensors.
Beheim, G.↗
Phase-Modulation Gas-Correlation Spectroscopy
Electro-optic phase-modulation gas-correlation spectroscopy demonstrated in laboratory tests promising candidate technique for remote sensing of gases, temperatures, and wind velocities in atmosphere. In technique radiation emitted by sample atmosphere passed through electro-optic phase modulator, and modulated and unmodulated versions of spectrum alternately passed through reference absorption cell containing gas to be detected. Radiation emerging from reference cell band-pass filtered and detected. Correlation signal is difference in intensity between phase-modulated and unmodulated detected signals.
Rider, David M.↗
Electronic heterodyne recording and processing of optical holograms using phase modulated reference waves
The use of a phase-modulated reference wave for the electronic heterodyne recording and processing of a hologram is described. Heterodyne recording is used to eliminate the self-interference terms of a hologram and to create a Leith-Upatnieks hologram with coaxial object and reference waves. Phase modulation is also shown to be the foundation of a multiple-view hologram system. When combined with hologram scale transformations, heterodyne recording is the key to general optical processing. Spatial filtering is treated as an example.
Decker, A. J.↗
Buried-Electrode Hybrid Bonded Thin-Film Lithium Niobate Electro-Optic Mach-Zehnder Modulators
Hybrid bonded silicon nitride thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) at 1310 nm were designed with metal coplanar waveguide electrodes buried in the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chip. Here, the MZM devices showed greatly improved performance compared to earlier devices of a similar design, and similar performance to comparable MZM devices with gold electrodes made on top of the TFLN layer. Both devices achieve a 3-dB electro-optic bandwidth greater than 110 GHz and voltage-driven optical extinction ratios greater than 28 dB. Half-wave voltage-length products (VπL) of 2.8 and 2.5 V∙ cm were measured for the 0.5 and 0.4 cm long buried metal and top gold electrode MZMs, respectively.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Transmitting Reference Radio Signals On Two Optical Carriers
Radio-frequency reference signal used to modulate two optical carriers at transmitter. Dispersion in optical-fiber or free-space transmission medium, used to advantage in receiver to measure and compensate for phase and frequency fluctuations induced by fluctuations in propagation conditions. Corrections for delay and for changes in delay made at receiver. Requires only one-way transmission, simpler in principle, more energy- and cost-efficient, and enables use of longer transmission paths.
Maleki, Lutfollah↗
Strain-concentration for fast, compact photonic modulation and non-volatile memory
A critical figure of merit (FoM) for electro-optic (EO) modulators is the transmission change per voltage, d T / d V . Conventional approaches in wave-guided modulators maximize d T / d V via a high EO coefficient or longer light-material interaction lengths but are ultimately limited by material losses and nonlinearities. Optical and RF resonances improve d T / d V at the cost of spectral non-uniformity, especially for high- Q optical cavity resonances. Here, we introduce an EO modulator based on piezo-strain-concentration of a photonic crystal cavity to address both trade-offs: (i) it eliminates the trade-off between d T / d V and waveguide loss—i.e., enhancement of the resonance tuning efficiency d v c / d V for the fixed EO coefficient, waveguide length, and cavity Q —and (ii) at high DC strains it exhibits a non-volatile (NV) cavity tuning Δ v c ,NV for passive memory and programming of multiple devices into resonance despite fabrication variations. The device is fabricated on a scalable silicon nitride-on-aluminum nitride platform. We measure d v c / d V =177±1MHz/V, corresponding to Δ v c =40±0.32GHz for a voltage spanning ±120V with an energy consumption of δ U /Δ v c =0.17nW/GHz. The modulation bandwidth is flat up to ω BW,3dB /2 π =3.2±0.07MHz for broadband DC-AC and 142±17MHz for resonant operation near a 2.8 GHz mechanical resonance. Optical extinction up to 25 dB is obtained via Fano-type interference. Strain-induced beam-buckling modes are programmable under a “read-write” protocol with a continuous, repeatable tuning range of 5±0.25GHz, allowing for storage and retrieval, which we quantify with mutual information of 2.4 bits and a maximum non-volatile excursion of 8 GHz. Using a full piezo-optical finite-element-model (FEM) we identify key design principles for optimizing strain-based modulators and chart a path towards achieving performance comparable to lithium niobate-based modulators and the study of high strain physics on-chip.
Wen, Y. Henry (ORCID:0009000685423628)↗