Optical modulators

The Centre for Integrated Photonics in Ipswich, England has launched a range of electro-absorption modulators fabricated using indium-phosphide.

Available in 40 and 10 Gbps versions for either single wavelength or DWDM communications applications, the devices offer advantages as building blocks for next-generation optical networks including low insertion loss, very small size, high bandwidth and low drive voltages. The semiconductor design and manufacturing services can also be used to produce variants of the device with application-specific characteristics to suit emerging system architecture requirements such as RZ (return-to-zero) data modulation and OTDM (optical time division multiplexing).

A key feature of the modulator's design is low insertion loss. Figures of 4.5 or 4 dB typical for the 40 and 10 Gbps variants provide good power margins for system design. This feature stems from novel structures employed in the devices including a buried heterostructure geometry.

The centre is an R&D facility specialising in integration technologies for microsystems and nanotechnologies, with a key competence in photonic integration.

The company has been set up to carry out contract research and development in photonic integration, using the underpinning technologies of III-V photonic materials, silicon micromachining and planar silica.