Enhancing the Electrooptic Effect Using Modulation Instability

As electronic operating frequencies increase toward the terahertz regime, new electrooptic modulators capable of low-voltage high-frequency operation must be developed to provide the necessary optical interconnects. This letter presents a new concept that exploits modulation instability to enhance the intrinsically weak electrooptic effect, \chi^(2). Simulations demonstrate more than 50 times enhancement of electrooptic effect at millimeter wave frequencies leading to a substantial reduction in the required modulation voltage.