Patent ID: 6760493
Filing Date: 2004-07-06
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
Coplanar integrated optical waveguide electro-optical modulator, comprising:a substrate (1) of an electro-optic material; at least two optical waveguides (41, 42) integrated in the substrate in correspondence of a surface (71) thereof and defining a device modulation region (50) therebetween, such waveguides disposed with respect to each other so as to substantially prevent the exchange of optical energy between said waveguides within the device modulation region and an electrode system (80, 90, 100; 80, 90, 900; 12-15; 12-16; 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170; 501, 502) arranged on said surface for applying a modulating electric field to the waveguides suitable for causing a modulation of a refractive index of the two waveguides in the device modulation region, characterized in that the waveguides are formed, for at least a section thereof (411, 421) in the device modulation region, in respective substrate regions (61, 62; 1, 500) each of which includes at least two successive segments having electro-optic coefficients with alternated sign, each successive segment being passed through by a respective one of the at least two waveguides, pairs of regions in the successive segments, substantially aligned in the direction transversal to the waveguides, having electro-optic coefficients of mutually opposite sign, so that a modulating electric field of same direction and orientation in the waveguide sections causes refractive index modulations of opposite sign in the waveguide sections.