Low Vπ LiNbO3 phase-modulator for high-power laser applications

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Published on 06 February 2024

Exail launches a new low Vπ LiNbO3 phase-modulator, designed for high-power laser applications. This new modulator, dedicated for Coherent Beam Combination (CBC) and Spectral Beam Combination (SBC), offers stability over time, temperature and vibration, while minimizing power consumption thanks to its ultra-low Vπ (up to 16 GHz). Specifically designed to handle up to 300 mW optical input at 1060 nm, this modulator is ideally suited for high-power lasers generation.

This low Vπ LiNbO3 phase modulator excels in coherent beam combination, leveraging a single laser source with fine linewidth through multiple amplifications and precise phase modulators. In spectral beam combination, the modulator facilitates combining different laser power beams with distinct wavelengths, achieving uniform intensity distribution.

Key optical features include an annealed proton exchange process, very low insertion loss (< 3 dB), high optical power handling (up to 300 mW), and stable performance over temperature and time. Notably, the Vπ of only 2 V @ 50 kHz minimizes RF and power consumption, while the device’s DC coupling option mitigates the RAM effect for optimal efficiency. The new low Vπ LiNbO3 phase modulator is also available at other wavelengths (O-band, C-band, 2 µm windows).