Semiconductor Photonic Components for RF Applications

Abstract

The objective of this program was to advance the performance of the semiconductor waveguide modulator in externally modulated RF fiber-optic links for space-based and airborne platforms such as true time delay beam formation and beam steering subsystem in phased array antennas. Device and material approaches were investigated to improve the modulator based on semiconductor structures for achieving high spur free dynamic range (SFDR) and high frequency operation. In these approaches, the semiconductor optical modulators were specifically designed to achieve high slope efficiency and high center frequency, while at the same time maintaining minimal generation of spurious signals. The fiber-optic links using these modulators are expected to satisfy the low noise figure, high center frequencies, low power requirements. A high performance electroabsorption modulator with more than 40 GHz bandwidth has been fabricated and evaluated. A new design was investigated for a quantum well modulator that includes an intra-barrier to enhance the power handling and slope efficiency. Both theory and experiment has beer carried out to demonstrate this concept.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA406821

Entities

People

  • A. R. Clawson
  • G. L. Li
  • Paul K. L. Yu
  • Phil Mages
  • Yang Wu
  • Yuling Zhuang

Organizations

  • University of California, San Diego

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption Coefficients
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Bandwidth
  • Detectors
  • Electro-Absorption Modulators
  • Energy Bands
  • Energy Levels
  • Frequency
  • Materials
  • Modulation
  • Modulators
  • Optical Modulators
  • Optical Waveguides
  • Phase Velocity
  • Quantum Wells
  • Semiconductors
  • Transmission Lines

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electronics Engineering
  • Phased Array Antenna Design.
  • Semiconductor Device Technology

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Quantum Computing
  • Space