LITHIUM-NIOBATE TRAVELING-WAVE PHASE MODULATOR WITH AN INDIUM TINOXIDE BUFFER LAYER

Characteristics of traveling-wave phase modulators fabricated with ind ium tinoxide (ITO) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) as buffer layers on Z-cu t LiNbO3 substrate are compared at the wavelength 0.6328 mu-m. For tho se with an ITO buffer layer, a half-wave voltage of 8.1 V and a bandwi dth of 10 GHz are obtained, whereas for those with an SiO2 buffer laye r, a half-wave voltage of 9.6 V and bandwidth 11 GHz are obtained. Hen ce the use of an ITO buffer layer may cause a reduction of the driving voltage and be capable of broadband operation.