Buyer's Guide … the one with the Encyclopedia!

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Buying Optical Modulators

Top-level product category: icon optical modulators

More specific product categories: electroabsorption modulators, electro-optic modulators, intensity modulators, phase modulators, Pockels cells, spatial light modulators

Related product category: drive electronics for photonic components

Optical modulators modify light properties, controlled with electrical signals. They can modulate optical power, intensity, and phase, essential for various communication and measurement applications.

Making Good Purchase Decisions

As the most professional photonics purchasing portal, RP Photonics helps you to not only to find all relevant suppliers (not limited to our advertisers), but also to make good purchasing decisions.

NEW: Structured Decision Process

Purchasing involves a lot of responsibility. We recommend that you apply best practice by using the following structured process: Go through the following expandable sections, complete the form and finally come to a purchase decision. You can then print that to a PDF for documenting the process.

Our article on best practices for purchasing and another one explaining this tool give you valuable insights.

1. Understand the technical background

It is important to sufficiently understand the technology before buying.

Use the comprehensive learning resources of RP Photonics:

encyclopedia article optical modulators acousto-optic modulators electro-optic modulators electroabsorption modulators phase modulators

If you need personal help, contact RP Photonics to get technical consultancy.

2. Define your requirements

It is essential to fully understand and clearly define your requirements before you buy.

We recommend that you develop a list of clear specifications according to your specific needs, against which you can later check the suitability of found product offers:

To help you, we have already listed some aspects we recommend you consider when buying optical modulators. Of course, there may be other aspects that are relevant to your specific case.

This list is for your own preparation, and can later (possibly in modified form) be used for quotation requests to suppliers.

Otherwise, you will need to talk to your technical colleagues.

If you cannot sufficiently clarify your requirements, you may want to get technical consultancy from RP Photonics.

You find these buttons in the supplier list below or under "3. Find suitable suppliers".

3. Find suitable suppliers

We suggest three steps:

  • Below, you can find our list of suppliers for optical modulators. Use the checkboxes to mark possibly suitable suppliers.
  • The selected suppliers will appear below this list, along with your list of specifications. You can then indicate which specifications they meet according to your research. (You should finalize your specifications before doing this.)
  • Based on the results, you can finally choose a supplier that is hopefully a good enough fit.

Selected suppliers:

(none so far)

Decision

The most suitable supplier you found:

Comments, e.g. reasons for your choice, or things which still need to be checked:

Suppliers for Optical Modulators

65 suppliers for optical modulators are listed in the RP Photonics Buyer's Guide, out of which 9 present their product descriptions. Both manufacturers and distributors can be registered.

Suppliers with Advertising Package

presenting their product descriptions

Test. Measure. Solve.

Quantifi Photonics Limited
12–14 Parkway Drive
Auckland 0632
New Zealand
Profile page  Website  
optical modulators

Quantifi Photonics' IQTX coherent modulation transmitter generates and controls phase-modulated optical signals at 11 GHz, 20 GHz, 23 GHz or 40 GHz of bandwidth. It supports M-QAM, M-PSK and custom modulation formats and Baud rates beyond 64 GBaud.

Product-specific web page
Aerodiode
Rue François Mitterrand
Institut d'Optique d'Aquitaine
33400 Talence
France
Profile page  Website  

See us at CLEO 2025 in Long Beach (CA), USA, May 4–9 (booth 327)!

optical modulators

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 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.

See also our white paper/tutorial on fiber-coupled modulators.

Product-specific web page
Exail (formerly iXblue)
34, Rue de la Croix de Fer
78100 Saint Germain-en-Laye
France
Profile page  Website  

See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (booth B2.341) and CLEO 2025 in Long Beach (CA), USA, May 4–9 (booth 225)!

optical modulators

Exail (formerly iXblue) offers the most comprehensive range of commercial LiNbO3 modulators:

In addition, we offer suitable bias controllers, analog and digital drivers. We also have pulse drivers for generating and shaping pulses.

See our comprehensive brochure on modulators.

Product-specific web page
Thorlabs
43 Sparta Avenue
Newton, NJ 07860
United States
Profile page  Website  

See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (booth B2.403, A1.530) and CLEO 2025 in Long Beach (CA), USA, May 4–9 (booth 113)!

optical 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 cell or AOM alternative introduces nearly zero dispersion to ultrafast laser pulses.

Product-specific web page

Your reliable partner for photonics innovations!

EKSMA Optics, UAB
Dvarcioniu St. 2B
LT-10233 Vilnius
Lithuania
Profile page  Website  

See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (booth A2.107) and CLEO 2025 in Long Beach (CA), USA, May 4–9 (booth 205)!

optical modulators

EKSMA Optics produces KTP, KD*P and BBO Pockels cells for applications like Q-switching of lasers, pulse picking, laser cavity dumping and coupling laser pulses into and from regenerative amplifiers. Our Pockels cells can be supplied with mounting stages, drivers, power supplies and electronics for pulse picking.

Product-specific web page
Hangzhou Shalom Electro-optics Technology Co., Ltd.
A635, Boke Mansion
No. 9 Xiyuan Road
Xihu District, Hangzhou 310030
China
Profile page  Website  

See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (hall B1, booth 258)!

optical modulators

Hangzhou Shalom EO offers off-the-shelf and custom Pockels cells, we can provide off-the-shelf and customized BBO, DKDP, LiNbO3 and MgO:LiNbO3 Pockels cells for electro-optical modulation.

  • The DKDP Pockels cells are of the longitudinal type. They feature high deuteration (>98%), fast rise time, and a maximum aperture of 50 mm.
  • The BBO Pockels cells are the best choice for high reptition rate Q-switching, with the additional advantages of high damage threshold and low insertion loss.
  • The LiNbO3 and MgO:LiNbO3 Pockels cells are of the transverse type. They have large electro-optic coefficients, good transmission up to 4.0 µm, and low half wave voltage. Aperture sizes of 2.5 mm to 9 mm are available.

In addition, we also provide RTP Q-switches, and electro-optical and acoustic-optical crystals (BBO, DKDP, LiNbO3 / MgO:LiNbO3, TeO2) which are the core elements used in optical modulators and Pockels cells.

Product-specific web page

Nonlinear crystals pioneers

Raicol Crystals Ltd.
22 Hamelacha Str.
Park Cibel, New Industrial Area
Rosh Ha'ain 48091
Israel
Profile page  Website  

See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (booth B2.335) and CLEO 2025 in Long Beach (CA), USA, May 4–9 (booth 727)!

optical modulators

Raicol Crystals offers electro-optic modulators based on RTP (with a temperature compensating design) or BBO.

Besides, we can supply super-polished LBO crystals which can be used as the center piece of an electro-optic modulator. With its high resistance to laser-induced damage, LBO is very suitable for high-power applications, and its transparency range is large (160 nm – 2600 nm). We offer highly homogeneous crystals with up to 100 × 100 mm2 and very low bulk absorption.

Product-specific web page

Lasers, Optics, Electronics. Made in Germany.

ALPHALAS GmbH
Bertha-von-Suttner-Str. 5
37085 Göttingen
Germany
Profile page  Website  
optical modulators

Phase and amplitude electro-optical as well as acousto-optical modulators in a standard and customer-specific configuration, including the drivers are available on order from ALPHALAS. Standard wavelengths are 1030 nm and 1064 nm, but customized wavelengths can also be supplied.

Product-specific web page

Change the Color of Light to Expand your Possibilities!

GWU-Lasertechnik Vertriebsges. mbH
Bonner Ring 9
50374 Erftstadt
Germany
Profile page  Website  

See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (booth A2.303)!

optical modulators

GWU's assortment covers acousto-optic (AOM) and electro-optical (EOM) modulators (the latter based on BBO or KD*P). All components can be offered free-space or fiber coupled and with suitable driver electronics.

Product-specific web page

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Other Suppliers

AA Sa Opto-Electronic
France
AC Photonics
United States
Profile page  Website  
Acal BFi
Germany
AdvR Applied Photonics
United States
Profile page  Website  
Agiltron Inc.
United States
BeamQ Lasers
United States
Profile page  Website  
Beijing Keyang Photonics Co. Ltd.
China
Profile page  Website  
Beijing Rofea Optoelectronics Co., Ltd.
China
Profile page  Website  
Bluebean Optical Tech Ltd.
China
Profile page  Website  
Boston Micromachines Corporation
United States
Profile page  Website  
Brimrose
United States
CASIX Inc.
China
Profile page  Website  
CASTECH
China
Conoptics
United States
Cryslaser Inc.
P.R. China
Profile page  Website  
Crystech Inc.
China
Fujian DayOptics, Inc.
China
Profile page  Website  
Egismos Technology Corporation
Taiwan
Profile page  Website  
Electro Optical Components, Inc.
United States
Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications
Germany
Profile page  Website  
Fuzhou Caston Optronics Co., Ltd.
China
GLsun Science And Tech Co., Ltd
China
Profile page  Website  
GMP SA, Büro Zürich
Switzerland
Hinds Instruments
United States
HOLOEYE Photonics AG
Germany
IntraAction
United States
Jenoptik Optical Systems GmbH
Germany
Laser S.O.S. Ltd.
United Kingdom
Leysop Ltd.
United Kingdom
Profile page  Website  
LIGENTEC SA
Switzerland
Profile page  Website  
Moltech GmbH
Germany
Nano-Giga
France
Profile page  Website  
Newlight Photonics Inc.
Canada
Oelabs Inc.
China
Profile page  Website  
OptiConcepts Inc.
United States
Profile page  Website  
Optilab, LLC
United States
OptoCity
United States
Optoplex Corporation
United States
Pegasus Optik GmbH
Germany
Phoenix Photonics Ltd
United Kingdom
Profile page  Website  
Photonics Technologies
United Kingdom
Photonwares Co.
United States
Polariton Technologies AG
Switzerland
Profile page  Website  
Polytec GmbH
Germany
Qingdao NovelBeam Technology Co. Ltd.
China
QuantumDesign Europe GmbH
Germany
Qubig GmbH
Germany
RFOptic
Israel
Profile page  Website  
SCRICO, Inc.
United States
Profile page  Website  
Shanghai SICCAS High Technology Corporation
China
Profile page  Website  
Solar Laser Systems
Belarus
Profile page  Website  
Soliton Laser- und Messtechnik GmbH
Germany
Ultra Photonics
China
Profile page  Website  
VM-TIM GmbH
Germany
Profile page  Website  
Wavelength Opto-Electronic (S) Pte Ltd
Singapore
Hangzhou Yong Hee Photonics Co., Ltd.
China

If any displayed information is incorrect (e.g., a listed supplier does not offer such products) or legally problematic, please notify RP Photonics so that the problem can be solved.



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