Traveling-wave electro-absorption modulator (TWEAM) for high frequency radio-over-fiber (ROF) link

Abstract

We developed two types of polarization insensitive TWEAM module operating at 1550 nm wavelength; a broadband and a narrowband module. The broadband TWEAM module showed 3-dB bandwidth of 40 GHz, -10 dB electrical return loss, S11 of up to 34 GHz and optical power sensitivity of -20 dBm at BER of 10/sup -12/ in 40 Gbit/s back to back transmission. For the narrowband TWEAM module, we observed minimum electrical S11 of -34.6 dB and enhanced electrical to optical (E/O) response at 40 GHz. As concerns analog link characteristic, we obtained IMD3 of less than -60 dBc.