Abstract

High speed lossy electrodes for LiNbO₃ based electro-optic switch arrays display superior performance when unterminated, as compared to properly terminated electrodes. The electrodes are designed to be sufficiently lossy to attenuate the high frequency ringing resulting from the lack of a load termination. This configuration has several advantages over conventional traveling wave electrodes normally used in high speed electro-optic modulators. These advantages include easier routing, less power required from the source, and comparable settling times. This results in electrodes that are well suited for large switch array applications. Experimental measurements of the transmission line parameters (characteristic impedance and propagation constant), crosstalk (electro-magnetic and acoustic) and thermal response of test coplanar strip electrodes on LiNbO₃ supports the integration of these unterminated electrodes into large photonic switch arrays.

© 1989 Optical Society of America