Where to Buy Optical Modulators

The high-power, high-speed fiber acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is one of the core components of all-fiber laser. It has the advantages of ultra-high extinction ratio, low insertion loss and fast rise time, and can select and modulate pulse lasers.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

• the MXER-LN series of intensity modulators for the C and O bands
• the MPZ-LN phase modulators for the C and O bands
• the near-infrared phase modulators NIR-MPX for the region around 1064 nm
• the NIR-MX Mach–Zehnder modulator for the 1-μm spectral region
• the xx-MPX-LN-0.1 series for wavelengths between 780 nm and 2000 nm and low modulation frequencies
• the MZ-LN family for 1310 nm to 1550 nm with a modulation bandwidth up to 70 GHz
• the space-qualified FM-MX and FM-MPX series
• the PSW-LN and PSC-LN polarization switches and scramblers

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.