Encyclopedia … combined with a great Buyer's Guide!

Optical Modulators

Author: the photonics expert (RP)

Definition: devices allowing one to manipulate properties of light beams, such as the optical power or phase

More specific terms: acousto-optic modulators, electro-optic modulators, Pockels cells, electroabsorption modulators, liquid crystal modulators, intensity modulators, phase modulators

Categories: article belongs to category photonic devices photonic devices, article belongs to category lightwave communications lightwave communications

DOI: 10.61835/6t6   Cite the article: BibTex plain textHTML   Link to this page   LinkedIn

An optical modulator is a device which can be used for manipulating a property of light – often of an optical beam, e.g. a laser beam. Depending on which property of light is controlled, modulators are called intensity modulators, phase modulators, modulators, spatial light modulators, etc.

A wide range of optical modulators are used in very different application areas, such as in optical fiber communications, displays, for active Q switching or mode locking of lasers, and in optical metrology.

Types of Optical Modulators

There are very different kinds of optical modulators:

Bulk-optical modulators, e.g. of the electro-optic type, can be used with large beam areas, and handle correspondingly large optical powers. On the other hand, there are fiber-coupled modulators, often realized as a waveguide modulator with fiber pigtails, which can easily be integrated into fiber-optic systems.

More to Learn

Encyclopedia articles:

Suppliers

The RP Photonics Buyer's Guide contains 65 suppliers for optical modulators. Among them:

AeroDIODE

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.

Thorlabs

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.

GWU-Lasertechnik

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.

ALPHALAS

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.

Exail

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.

Raicol Crystals

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.

DayOptics

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.

Quantifi Photonics

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.

EKSMA OPTICS

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.

Questions and Comments from Users

Here you can submit questions and comments. As far as they get accepted by the author, they will appear above this paragraph together with the author’s answer. The author will decide on acceptance based on certain criteria. Essentially, the issue must be of sufficiently broad interest.

Please do not enter personal data here. (See also our privacy declaration.) If you wish to receive personal feedback or consultancy from the author, please contact him, e.g. via e-mail.

Spam check:

By submitting the information, you give your consent to the potential publication of your inputs on our website according to our rules. (If you later retract your consent, we will delete those inputs.) As your inputs are first reviewed by the author, they may be published with some delay.

preview

Share this with your network:

Follow our specific LinkedIn pages for more insights and updates: