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Dispersion-Free Traveling Wave Plasmon/Polymer Waveguide Modulator

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Missile Defense Agency
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 18002
Amount: $49,749.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1992
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
20600 Gramercy Place, Suite 103
Torrance, CA 90501
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Ray T. Chen, Phd
 (310) 530-1416
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes a traveling wave plasmon/polymer waveguide modulator. Conventional EO modulators suffer from small modulation bandwidths (usually much less than 100 GHz) due to the large walk-off between the propagation of the microwaves and optical waves. Additionally, the small index modulation associated with linear electrooptic coefficients requires a long electrode length (mm to cm). The proposed plasmon waveguide modulator, in conjunction with an EO polymer, provides a modulation scheme that has a small interaction length (about 100 um). No dispersion between the optical waves and the microwaves is expected. Employment of a collinear microstrip line generates a much better overlap integral between the optical and microwave signals, and power consumption is reduced in comparison with conventional coplanar electrode structures used for LiNbO3 and GaAs EO modulators. The optical bandwidth is greatly enhanced by adjusting the input coupling angle and the bouncing angle of the substrate-guided wave, which has a continuous guiding spectrum as long as the total internal reflection (TIR) criterion is satisfied. A plasmon waveguide modulator will be demonstrated in Phase I. The microstrip line suitable for transmitting a 100 GHz signal will also be tested.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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