Mach–Zehnder Modulator output in time and frequency domain—calculation and experimental confirmation

The Mach–Zehnder intensity Modulator (MZM), named after Ludwig Mach and Ludwig Zehnder, is based on the corresponding interferometer. It splits light into two counter-rotating partial beams, which are later recombined with a controlled phase difference. The output of the MZM depends on the phase difference of the interferometer paths. This phase difference is usually adjusted by an electrical voltage applied to a Phase Shifter (PS) placed in one of the interferometer arms. For MZM applications in which the wavelength is changing, the applied voltage must be adjusted accordingly. We derived the equations describing the MZM output in the frequency domain for the case of a triangular PS voltage (necessary for a sinusoidal output) and compared the analytical results with measurements. Our setup uses an Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) with a tunable wavelength from 3.2–3.5 μm as the light source and a Lithium Tantalate (LT)-PS for the MZM’s phase modulation. The novel insights enable new control methods for MZMs particularly suited for spectroscopic applications where the wavelength is scanned or otherwise altered.