Optically powered remote optical field sensor system using an electroabsorption-modulator

A novel optical sensor system is presented, where the remote transceiver unit is based upon a high-speed electroabsorption (EA) waveguide modulator. The proposed sensor concept allows bi-directional operation, by using the EA-modulator not only as a modulator element to receive signals from the antenna but also as a detector element to transmit signals to the antenna. For optimum dynamic range and highest sensitivity the EA-modulator is biased. The voltage necessary for this is provided from an integrated fiber-coupled photovoltaic cell (PVC) array in order not to reduce the overall EMC of the sensor.