The use of optical feedback for improving response linearity of electrooptic light modulators has been investigated. The modulator is configured as a straight channel waveguide flanked by electrodes in a lithium niobate (LiNbO3) substrate. Light is coupled into the waveguide in both TE and TM polarizations, and a voltage applied across electrodes causes a relative phase shift between two polarization components. An output analyzer converts the phase modulation to intensity modulation. Optical feedback of light in both polarization modes results from reflection of light at the polished edges of the substrate. Channel waveguides supporting a single guided mode for TE and TM polarizations were fabricated in x-cut LiNbO3 substrates using titanium-indiffusion technique. The waveguides and modulators were characterized at a wavelength of 1.55 ??m using a distributed feedback laser. The modulators were driven with a sinusoidal voltage waveform. To minimize harmonics of the modulating frequency in the intensity output, the magnitude of the optical feedback and the substrate temperature were adjusted. The feedback level was altered by applying refractive index-matching liquid to one or both ends of the waveguide at the edges of the crystal. It was found that a high degree of response linearity in the presence of feedback was achievable at certain substrate temperatures. The spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) relative to the noise floor was measured at different feedback levels and substrate temperatures in an effort to maximize the modulator response linearity. An SFDR of 68.04 dB, limited by third-order nonlinearity, was achieved by applying index-matching fluid to the input end of the substrate. This compares with an SFDR of 64.84 dB limited by second-order nonlinearity when index-matching fluid was applied at both ends of the substrate. By changing the temperature of the same substrate to adjust the phase shifts experienced by TE and TM polarizations, the SFDR with index-matching fluid at the input end increased to 71.83 dB, limited by third-order nonlinearity. In tests at constant modulation depth, an improvement of as much as 9.6 dB in SFDR vs. the theoretical value for an interferometric modulator without feedback was achieved.

The use of optical feedback for improving response linearity of electrooptic light modulators has been investigated. The modulator is configured as a straight channel waveguide flanked by electrodes in a lithium niobate (LiNbO3) substrate. Light is coupled into the waveguide in both TE and TM polarizations, and a voltage applied across electrodes causes a relative phase shift between two polarization components. An output analyzer converts the phase modulation to intensity modulation. Optical feedback of light in both polarization modes results from reflection of light at the polished edges of the substrate. Channel waveguides supporting a single guided mode for TE and TM polarizations were fabricated in x-cut LiNbO3 substrates using titanium-indiffusion technique. The waveguides and modulators were characterized at a wavelength of 1.55 ??m using a distributed feedback laser. The modulators were driven with a sinusoidal voltage waveform. To minimize harmonics of the modulating frequency in the intensity output, the magnitude of the optical feedback and the substrate temperature were adjusted. The feedback level was altered by applying refractive index-matching liquid to one or both ends of the waveguide at the edges of the crystal. It was found that a high degree of response linearity in the presence of feedback was achievable at certain substrate temperatures. The spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) relative to the noise floor was measured at different feedback levels and substrate temperatures in an effort to maximize the modulator response linearity. An SFDR of 68.04 dB, limited by third-order nonlinearity, was achieved by applying index-matching fluid to the input end of the substrate. This compares with an SFDR of 64.84 dB limited by second-order nonlinearity when index-matching fluid was applied at both ends of the substrate. By changing the temperature of the same substrate to adjust the phase shifts experienced by TE and TM polarizations, the SFDR with index-matching fluid at the input end increased to 71.83 dB, limited by third-order nonlinearity. In tests at constant modulation depth, an improvement of as much as 9.6 dB in SFDR vs. the theoretical value for an interferometric modulator without feedback was achieved.

Les modulateurs electro-optiques (EOM) sont des composants importants dans les systemes de telecommunication. Malheureusement, ils ne sont pas parfaitement stables dans Ie temps et leur fonction de transfert (TF) a tendance a se decaler durant Ie temps d'operation. La derive de la TF d'un EOM peut etre expliquee par des effets differents tels que les changements de la temperature ambiante, de la polarisation ou de l'efficacite de couplage optique. La these presente une methode de me sure de la derive de la TF de I'EOM (a grace d'estimation du comportement non-linearite du modulateur, NLl), et propose deux systemes instrumentaux pour ameliorer son fonctionnement: Ie premier pour contraler la temperature de l'EOM, il est possible de forcement reduire cette derive, Ie deuxieme pour compenser la derive (la stabilisation du point de fonctionnement autour du point quadrature est obtenue jusqu'au 0,22% ou la fluctuation de phase est de 0,44°). Ces techniques ont ete aussi appliquees pour ameliorer Ie comportement d'un oscillateur optoelectronique haute frequence. Nous avons realise les experiences par asservissement de temperature, par compensation de la derive. Pour une stabilite de I'OEO a court terme, la stabilisation de la frequence est amelioree jusqu'a 28% en utilisant un contrale de temperature seule etjusqu'a 71 % avec les deux processus. Pour une stabilite de l'OEO a long terme, en deux cas sans contra Ie, I'OEO fonctionne pendant 3 heures et pendant 1,6 heure (puis I'OEO ne marche plus). En utilisant une compensation de la derive de la TF de I'EOM, l'OEO fonctionne bien meme apres 7 heures et 8 heures. / Electro-optic modulators (EOM) are important components in telecommunication systems. Unfortunately, there are some physical effects like ambient temperature variations, polarization and inherent photorefractive coefficient which are due to the drift of EOM transfer function (TF). The thesis presents a method for measuring the drift of the TF of EOM (based on a nonlinearity behavior of modulator - NLl), and propose two instrumentation systems to improve their operations: one to control the temperature of EOM, it is possible to significantly reduce the drift, the second to compensate the drift (the bias point stabilization around the quadrature point is obtained up to 0.22% or the phase fluctuation is 0.44°). These techniques have been applied to improve the behavior of an optoelectronic oscillator high frequency. Four experiments are carried out by controlling the EOM temperature and by compensating the EOM drift. For a short-term stability of OEO, the stabilization of the frequency is obtained with 28% with using a temperature control, up to 71 % with the two techniques. For a long-term stability of OEO, in cases without any control, the OEO has worked for 3 hours and for 1.6 hours (then, the OEO does not work anymore). By using the drift compensation of the EOM FT, the OEO has correctly worked even more than 7 hours and 8 hours.