Tandem electrooptic modulation and interferometric detection: Theory and application

Abstract

This paper expands upon the RF photonic theory of electrooptic phase and intensity modulation detection as seen when coupled in tandem with an asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer through the derivation of power transfer functions for such optical-microwave configurations. An inspection of the theory is presented and validated through experimental results. Several applications of a modulation/interferometric architecture are also reviewed, delineating the importance of a valid model for predicting the behavior of similar analog optical systems. © 2013 IEEE.