Similarities between birefringent gires-tournois interferometer and double ring assisted mach- zehnder electrooptic modulator

Abstract

Recently, Gires -Toumois's interferometer (GTI) relying on electrooptic materials have been attracting great interest because they may enable high linear dynamic range optical modulators. Therefore GTI's may play a major role on the subject of signal processing in the field of microwave photonics. This paper addresses the modeling of a novel birefringent GTI modulator set -up as a double ring assisted Mach-Zehnder modulator (RAMZI). The modeling takes into account the front surface mirror reflectance and reveals that GTI based modulators may yield a dynamic range as high as that achieved with RAMZI, with requires a rather more complex fabrication technology. Results of numerical simulations obtained with a GTI configuration which relics on Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) and enables a push-pull operation with a single voltage source are presented.