Claims
- 1. An electro-optical phase modulator comprising;
- a crystal having top and bottom parallel surfaces and an end surface, wherein said end surface is adapted to receive light to be modulated;
- a bottom ground plane proximate said bottom surface;
- a top ground plane proximate said top surface, wherein said top ground plane overhangs said top surface;
- a signal conductor disposed between said top surface and said top ground plane, wherein said signal conductor is adapted to receive a modulating signal for modulating the light passing through said crystal.
- 2. The electro-optical phase modulator of claim 1 wherein a gap is formed between the signal conductor and the top ground plane, and wherein said gap is filled with a material having a low dielectric constant.
- 3. The electro-optical phase modulator of claim 2 wherein the gap is filled with air.
- 4. The electro-optical phase modulator of claim 1 wherein the bottom ground plane is mounted upon the bottom surface, and wherein the bottom ground plane is the same size as the bottom surface.
- 5. The electro-optical phase modulator of claim 1 wherein the signal conductor is affixed to the top surface of the crystal.
Government Interests
This invention was made with Government support under contract No. F30602-86-C-0091. The government has certain rights in this invention.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0023359 |
Feb 1977 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
White et al, "Electro-Optical Modulators Employing Intermittent Interaction", IEEE, Jan. 1963, p. 214. |
A. Yariv, "Optical Modulators", copyright 1985, Chapter 9, Holt, Rinehart and Winston. |