A Dynamic Measurement Technique for Third-Order Distortion in Optical Phase Modulators

A novel two-tone measurement technique for characterizing distortion in optical phase modulators is proposed and demonstrated. The technique is used to characterize an InGaAsP-InP modulator in a monolithically integrated receiver. Results for forward and reverse bias conditions in the modulator show a phase IP3 of 7.2pi and 0.97pi rad, respectively