Proposal of Highly Efficient Quantum Well Microring Resonator-Loaded Optical Phase Modulator Integrated with Antenna-Coupled Electrodes for Radio-over-Fiber

Abstract

Radio-over-fiber (RoF) technology for low-loss, high-speed millimeter-wave transmission using optical fibers has been attracting attention. We propose a highly efficient microring resonator (MRR)-loaded InGaAs/InAlAs multiple-quantum-well (MQW) phase modulator with an antenna coupled electrode (ACE) for 60 GHz RoF systems, and its modulation characteristics are theoretically discussed. This modulator is able to directly convert wireless millimeter-wave (MMW) signals into optical signals without an external power supply. The MRR used in the waveguide structure increases the optical phase change obtained by the unique quantum confinement Stark effect in the MQW through phase enhancement effects, while the ACE based on a coupled microstrip resonant electrode applies a strong standing wave electric field to the waveguide. The proposed modulator is expected to provide tens of times higher phase modulation efficiency than a conventional gap-embedded planar antenna-integrated modulator.