High-speed electrooptic modulator characterization using optical spectrum analysis

This paper presents our latest studies on high-speed electrooptic modulator characterization using the optical spectrum analysis method. Several new characterization techniques are theoretically analyzed and experimentally demonstrated for the measurement of critical device parameters at very high modulation frequencies. Applying this method in our wide-band electrooptic (EO) modulator characterization experiment, we have successfully measured halfwave voltages, frequency responses, and the chirp parameter at frequencies over 10 GHz for several typical high-speed LiNbO ₃ modulators. Our experiment showed that the optical spectrum analysis provides an accurate and convenient platform for ultra-high-speed EO modulator characterization.