40 GHz MMIC driver of electro-absorption modulator for high-speed optical pulse generation

Abstract

For the next generation of high-speed optical communications (4/spl times/40Gbit/s OTDM), the availability of very short pulse sources is crucial. This work deals with optical pulse sources using electro-absorption modulators (EAM). With the aim of matching a 100/spl mu/m-long EAM, a 40GHz MMIC driver was designed and fabricated using a GaAs PHEMT 0.15/spl mu/m process. To handle the actual electro-optical objectives of the Driver+EAM function (short pulse /spl sim/5ps, high extinction ratio /spl sim/30dB) we have developed a specific design method, which includes modeling techniques of EAM and CAD-oriented electro-optical design rules. Preliminary optical measurements of the first assembled optical modules (with & without driver) show that the driver leads to more than 10dB improvement for the electro-optical response of the EAM pulse source in the 39.7-42GHz band.