IN-LINE PHASE MODULATORS USING COAXIAL THICK LEAD-ZIRCONATE-TITANATE COATED OPTICAL FIBERS

Thick piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films (ceramic-ceram ic 0-3 composite films), using a new sol-gel based process, have been produced and used to coaxially coat optical fibers. Coated PZT of up t o 200 mu m thick and 10 cm long have been achieved. Using thick PZT co ated single mode optical fibers, in-line phase modulators are designed , built and tested. Theoretical and experimental investigations of suc h phase modulators are also presented. The measured phase modulation r anges from hundreds of kilohertz to several megahertz. (C) 1996 Americ an Institute of Physics.