SBIR-STTR Award

Pacific Wave Industries proposes the design of a 60 GHz push-pull Mach-Zehnder polymer modulator exhibiting a DC Vp of 5 volts. The proposed device will be fabricated from our PC/CLD material system, which exhibits several advantageous device properties. This proposed structure incorporates Ag electrodes for the novel RF modulator drive circuit, the higher conductivity of Ag allows a 60 GHz bandwidth (3 dB point) with reasonable RF driving voltages. The full potential bandwidth of the device will be exploited by the design and implementation of millimeter wave coplanar waveguide to microstrip line transitions. The proposed device will significantly impact high performance millimeter wave optical links which have stringent demands on modulator performance. Preliminary investigations of the impact of the proposed device on link performance are found in this proposal, with the details outlined as part of the tasks. This Phase I project will produce polymer amplitude modulators with electrical bandwidths of 60 GHz. These cost effective devices, with relatively low half-wave voltage (Vp) and ultra high bandwidth will have an immediate impact on the development of high performance RF links. The ability to reduce the cost of analog optical millimeter wave links and to improve their performance will allow its implementation for huge potential markets

Pacific Wave Industries in association with the University of Southern California has developed a unique polymer material and high frequency design for amplitude light modulators. Building upon on our extensive experience in this area we propose to fabricate and test a 60 GHz polymer Mach-Zehnder modulator for the efficient optical distribution of millimeter waves. PWI's new electro-optic polymer material providing long-term 85 degrees C operation will be utilized. Two basic configurations will be fabricated. The first one, designed for the very broadband operations from 10 GHz to 65 GHz, will have a DC half-wave voltage Vp in the order of 4 V. The second modification will be usable in several narrower bands, such as 40 to 44 GHz and 60 to 65 GHz, with DC Vp as low as 2 V. Finally, both types of the modulators will be hermetically packaged with input and output optical fibers, standard RF V-connectors and necessary matching circuits or/and proper terminations. These devices are expected to have a major role in the remoting of millimeter waves in radar and communication applications