High-speed InP-based Mach-Zehnder modulators for telecom applications

A novel InP-Based traveling-wave electrode Mach-Zehnder modulator has been proposed and fabricated. It has an n-i-n isotype heterostructure to reduce both electrical signal loss and optical loss caused by p-type cladding layer. We obtained error-free operation for a 40-Gbit/s NRZ signal in a push-pull configuration with a very low driving voltage of 1.3 V/sub pp/. We also confirmed that the modulator has low chirp characteristics by demonstrating a 100-km SMF transmission with a penalty of less than 1.5 dB for a 10-Gbit/s NRZ signal.