We present the first demonstration of an electro-optic modulator based on a photolithographically fabricated photonic crystal (PhC) nanocavity with a p-i-n junction with SiO2 cladding. We show that the device exhibits an ultrahigh quality factor (Q∼105) and allow us to demonstrate electro-optic modulation through the integrated p-i-n diode structure. We demonstrate an electro-optic modulation based on the carrier injection.

The complex refractive indices n-jχ of typical magnetic fluids were evaluated for the sake of utilizing them as optical materials. Transmission and reflection spectra were measured in the wavelength range of 0.6-1.6 µm by using monochromators. Magnetic fluids were put into glass cells of 2.5-14-µm thickness for transmission measurement. Due to the absorption by magnetic fluids, the transmittance decreased notably with the increase of the sample thickness. The extinction coefficient χ was evaluated from the dependence of the transmittance on the sample thickness. χ was found to vary between 0.003 and 0.03 depending upon wavelength. The refractive index n was evaluated by fitting theoretical curves to the reflectances that were measured for various incident angles. n was found to vary between 1.6 and 1.7 depending slightly on wavelength. Since a magnetic fluid is a composite of ferrite particles and a solvent, the refractive index can be calculated by using the effective medium theory. The calculated value agreed well with the experimental value. Preliminary experiment of optical switching was also demonstrated by utilizing the mobility of a magnetic fluid.

A photonic/video hybrid system for optical information processing by synthesis of the coherence function is proposed. Optical coherence function can be synthesized to have delta-function-like shape or notch shape by using direct frequency modulation of a laser diode with an appropriate waveform. Therefore, by choosing only the interference component in the interferometer, information processing functions can be obtained. The photonic/video hybrid system proposed provides a novel way to choose the interference component, which can improve the spatial resolution compared with our previous system with holographic technique. Selective extraction two-dimensional (2-D) information from a three-dimensional (3-D) object is successfully performed in basic experiments.

In this paper, the influences of the cross-sectional deformation on the coplanar waveguide (CPW) characteristics for the use of Ti: LiNbO3optical modulator are presented based on quasi-static analysis. In particular, the influences of the changes in the thickness of Ti: LiNbO3 substrate and the cross-sectional shape of electrodes are studied in detail by using the finite element method proposed previously. As a result, it is found that the propagation characteristics of the dominant mode change significantly with the thickness of LiNbO3 substrate when it is less than 100 µm. It is also shown that an inverted trapezoidal deformation of the electrode cross section is promising because a wider electrode gap and thinner electrodes are available in the design of optical modulators.

The crosstalk characteristics of a long-wavelength monolithically integrated photoreceiver array are analyzed. The device consists of an array of transimpedance photoreceivers fabricated on a semi-insulating InP substrate. The distance between the photodetectors is large enough to suppress the photonic crosstalk. Therefore, the crosstalk of the device is mainly due to signal propagation from the channels through the power line shared by each channel on the chip. This crosstalk is inevitable to the photoreceiver arrays which employ common power lines. The magnitude of the crosstalk largely depends on the impedance of the power-supply circuit outside the chip. The crosstalk spectrum often has a peak and recess structure. The crosstalk peak at the edge of the operating band-width is due to the resonance characteristic of the transimpedance amplifier. The other peak and recess structures on the spectrum are due to the resonance phenomena of on-chip and off-chip capacitors and inductance on the power-supply line outside the chip. This crosstalk can be reduced by using on-chip bypass capacitance and dumping resistance. However, the resonance due to the capacitance and inductance on the power-supply circuit outside the chip can't be controlled by the on-chip components. Therefore, an optimized design for the power supply circuit outside the chip is also indispensable for suppressing crosstalk.

The transient spectral spread of directly modulated DFB LD's, which appears in the time-resolved chirping measurement, is studied experimentally and numerically. Such a phenomenon has been already reported as a side mode oscillation called "subpeak", but there has been little argument as to the physical origin. We make it clear that the subpeak is a spurious mode due to the influence of the photodetector bandwidth. The minimum photodetector bandwidth which is necessary in the time-resolved chirping measurement is examined. Furthermore the distortion of the long-distance transmitted waveform is also explained by one mode oscillation.

This letter discusses a microstrip line with an open-end termination in which the reflected microwaves can be optically controlled by a laser illumination. The frequency characteristics are emphasized rather than the time domain ones. The reflection characteristics have been demonstrated experimentally and theoretically for the frequency range of 24 GHz. In the theoretical treatment both the conductance and the capacitance are considered in the equivalent circuit model of the open end of the strip.

A coplanar-type TW electrode is analyzed for the use within a Ti:LiNbO3 optical modulator. The quasistatic analysis is developed based on the variational principle and the incremental inductance formula. The anisotropy of the LiNbO3, the effect of the SiO2 buffer layer, the overlaid conductor and the electrode thickness can be taken into consideration easily by using the extended spectral domain approach (ESDA) as the formulation procedure. It is shown numerically that the TW electrodes thickness, t, and the overlay spacing, p, are as dominant as the buffer layer thickness d, i.e., the microwave effective index and the product ΔfL is affected significantly by the electrodes thickness t and the overlay spacing, whereas the product VπL is insensitive. Therefore, the introduction of the overlaid conductor and the use of thicker electrodes can be utilized effectively to achieve higher values of the figure of merit Δf/Vπ.

This paper reviews the application of optical technologies to phased array antennas. The performance of the fibre transmission medium and of sources and detectors is reviewed, leading to simple expressions for transmission loss and noise performance. Both coherent and non-coherent beam forming techniques are considered. Future trends, including the use of optical amplifiers and coherent signal generation, will also be discussed.

Stability property of an optically injection-locked semiconductor laser taking account of gain saturation is discussed. Numerical analysis shows that stable locking region is broadened due to gain saturation. This is because of rapid damping of relaxation oscillation due to gain saturation. It is also found that stable locking region is also broadened with increasing injection current since damping of relaxation oscillation becomes strong with increasing injection current. Numerical calculations of lasing spectrum show that the magnitude of sidepeaks appeared at harmonics of relaxation oscillation frequency under unstable locking condition are suppressed due to gain saturation.

Analysis of the propagation of circularly symmetric fields is made using the finite-difference beam-propagation method. After testing the accuracy of this method, we analyze the guided-mode transmission of connected fibers whose core radii are different. The propagation behavior of the unguided-mode field generated at the junction is revealed using a transparent boundary condition.

The mode partition noise of 1.3µm distributed feedback laser diodes (DFB LD's), which is induced by the externally reflected light, is studied experimentally and numerically. The mode partition noise is evaluated by the k-value. It is observed that the mode parition noise monotonically increases with the DC bias current when the reflected light affects DFB LD's and the DC bias current is above the threshold current. From the dependence of the k-value on the external power reflection coefficient, it is observed that the k-value dramatically increases when the external power reflection coefficient is above a value which differs from LD to LD. This is closely related to the fact that the tolerance to the externally reflected light depends on the threshold gain difference between the main mode and the dominant side mode.

A hybrid integrated optical module composed of a silica-based planar lightwave circuit (PLC), a laser diode with an integrated monitor-photodiode, and a pin-photodiode is fabricated for use in high-performance, compact and cost-effective fiber optic subscriber systems. Its applicability to a wavelength-division-multiplex (WDM) system with a 1.3-µm bi-directional signal and a 1.5-µm one-way signal is demonstrated. The PLC was fabricated by a combination of flame hydrolysis deposition (FHD) and reactive ion etching (RIE), and it simultaneously achieved 1.3-µm/1.5-µm multi/demultiplexing and 1.3-µm Y-branching functions. The optical module exhibited insertion losses of 4.1dB at 1.31µm (including a Y-branch circuit loss of 3dB) and 0.5dB at 1.53µm. An optical output power of more than -4dBm was obtained from the optical module and the crosstalk was sufficiently low at less than -20dB between wavelengths of 1.3µm and 1.5µm. Temperature cycle tests on the optical module showed reliable and stable operation with an optical power fluctuation of less than 0.3dB for 500 cycles.

A simple method is developed to analyze a bent waveguide, which is described in the cylindrical coordinate system. By means of this method based on the Galerkin method, the sampling spacing can be chosen arbitrarily and it is possible to treat narrow beams. In addition we introduce the absorber using the graded lossy material. As this lossy absorber can remove the radiation wave from the bend, so we can use the finite computational window. The lightwaves propagating in the uniform bend of the slab waveguide and of the nonlinear slab waveguide are demonstrated.

The effect of the externally reflected light on the mode partition characteristics of 1.3 µm Fabry-Perot laser diodes is studied experimentally and numerically. It is observed that the k-value increases monotonically with the DC bias current and the external reflection coefficient. Based on these experimental results, a numerical model to study the mode partition characteristics of laser diodes in the presence of external reflections is developed. The results calculated using this model agree well with the experimental ones. It is found that the mode partition noise is mainly caused by the interference between the light in the laser diode and the reflected light, and also by the fluctuations of the induced emission and absorption. In the time domain, their contribution to the mode partition noise is almost localized in the time region within 0.1nsec at the time when the optical pulse turns on.