Design and optimization of proton exchanged integrated electro-optic modulators in X-cut lithium niobate thin film

Abstract

In this study, we designed, simulated, and optimized proton exchanged integrated Mach-Zehnder modulators in a 0.5-µm-thick x-cut lithium niobate thin film. The single-mode conditions, the mode distributions, and the optical power distribution of the lithium niobate channel waveguides are discussed and compared in this study. The design parameters of the Y-branch and the separation distances between the electrodes were optimized. The relationship between the half-wave voltage length production of the electro-optic modulators and the thickness of the proton exchanged region was studied.