Where to Buy Intensity Modulators

Electro-optic crystals with suitable drivers are used to modulate the laser beam intensity with frequencies up to 100 MHz. Standard and customer-specific devices are available. The intensity modulators series is complemented with acousto-optic modulators for the standard laser wavelengths.

AeroDIODE has developed the fiber modulator – a high-speed intensity modulator and optical switch based on a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). It is available over a wide wavelength range from 750 to 1650 nm. Key features are high speed (down to 1 ns rise/fall time), high dynamic range (>48 dB), high extinction ratio (>50 dB) and an easy to use graphical user interface with multiple software libraries (LabVIEW, Python etc.). AeroDIODE also offers the semiconductor optical amplifier alone or the SOA driver alone in either CW or pulsed configuration.

AeroDIODE also offers a wide range of fiber coupled AOMs (Acousto Optic Modulators) with various types of digital (TTL) or analog RF drivers.

You may want to read our white paper/tutorial on fiber-coupled modulators.

With the introduction of the OM6N series of high-speed optical modulators, Thorlabs has designed and developed a new all-reflective technology based on deformable mirrors for modulating laser power in the 700 – 1350 nm range. This Pockels or AOM alternative introduces nearly zero dispersion to ultrafast laser pulses.

The MXER-LN series of intensity modulators is a family of high-performance modulators exhibiting a superior extinction ratio. These modulators are available for the C and O bands and find interest for Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD).