Thorlabs free-space electro-optic (EO) amplitude and phase lithium niobate modulators combine our experience with crystal growth and electro-optic materials. Our standard modulators use undoped lithium niobate. For higher power operation, we offer MgO doped lithium niobate. The standard EO modulators are broadband DC-coupled, though a high Q resonant model option is available.
Features
High Performance in a Compact Package
Broadband DC Coupled
2 mm Diameter Clear Aperture
SMA RF Modulation Input Connector
DC to 100 MHz
Custom OEM Versions Available
Standard DC-Coupled Broadband Modulators
Our broadband EO modulators consist of an EO crystal packaged in a housing optimized for maximum RF performance. The RF drive signal is connected directly to the EO crystal via the SMA RF input. An external RF driver supplies the drive voltage for the desired modulation. The crystal may be modulated from DC up to the frequency limits of the external RF driver. Please see the Specs tab for amplifier requirements.
High Q Resonant Option
For flexibility Thorlabs also offers a second modulator option. Resonant mode modulators developed by Nova Phase simplify the driver requirements for many applications where the modulator is operated at a single frequency, from 5 to 100 MHz. A high Q resonant tank circuit located inside the modulator boosts the low level RF input voltage from a standard function generator to the high voltage needed to get full depth of modulation. Please see the Specs tab for more information on these modulators.
Item #
EO Amplitude Modulator EO-AM-NR
EO Phase Modulator EO-PM-NR
EO Amplitude Modulator with Tank Circuit*
EO Phase Modulator with Tank Circuit*
Modulator Crystal
Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3)**
Wavelength Range
C1
600 to 900 nm
600 to 900 nm
600 to 900 nm
600 to 900 nm
C2
900 to 1250 nm
900 to 1250 nm
900 to 1250 nm
900 to 1250 nm
C3
1250 to 1650 nm
1250 to 1650 nm
1250 to 1650 nm
1250 to 1650 nm
C4
400 to 600 nm
400 to 600 nm
400 to 600 nm
400 to 600 nm
Clear Aperture
2 mm Diameter
2 mm Diameter
2 mm Diameter
2 mm Diameter
Input Connector
SMA Female
SMA Female
SMA Female
SMA Female
Resonant Frequency Range
Broadband
Broadband
1 MHz to 100 MHz***
1 MHz to 100 MHz***
Half Wave Voltage, Vπ
360 V @1064 nm (Typical)
240 V @ 1064 nm (Typical)
Resonance and Q Value Dependent
Resonance and Q Value Dependent
Max Optical Power Density
2 W/mm2 @ 532 nm, 4 W/mm2 @ 1064 nm
2 W/mm2 @ 532 nm, 4 W/mm2 @ 1064 nm
2 W/mm2 @ 532 nm, 4 W/mm2 @ 1064 nm
2 W/mm2 @ 532 nm, 4 W/mm2 @ 1064 nm
*) Please contact your local Tech Support office for more information or to receive a quotation on these items. **) Mg doped LiNbO3 is available upon request, please contact Tech Support. ***) When requesting a quotation, please specify which frequency in this range you are intested in.
Item #
HVA200
Physical Features
Input Connector
BNC
Output Connector
BNC
HV Monitor Connector
BNC
Bias Adjustment
Digital Encoder
Output Enable
Front Panel Pushbutton
Output HV Indicator
Bright LED
Power Switch
Rocker Switch
Dimensions
9″ x 5″ x 12.5″ 228.6 mm x 127 mm x 317.5 mm
Weight
11.6 lbs
Other
Tilting Rubber-Padded Feet
Max Ratings
Max Output Current
100 mA DC
Max Input Voltage Range
–10 to 10 V
Fuse Rating
630 mA @ 115 VAC (5x20mm SLO-BLO) 400 mA @ 230 VAC (5x20mm SLO-BLO)
Electrical Characteristics
Max Input Voltage Range
–10 to 10 V
Input Impedance
1 kΩ
Output Voltage
–200 to 200 V
Output Impedance
50 Ω
Slew Rate
400 V/μs
Output Noise
1.5 mV RMS
Voltage Gain†
–20 ± 2%
DC Bias Adjust
–200 to 200 V
HV Monitor to Output Ratio:
With Input Impedance of 50 Ω
40:1 (Vout/40 ± 6%)
With Input Impedance of >10 kΩ
20:1 (Vout / 20 ± 6%)
AC Power
115 V/230 V, 50-60 Hz, 70 VA
†) NOTE: The voltage gain is inverting to preserve the high slew rate of the output amplifier (i.e., a -1 V input results in +20 V output).
Figure 1 (Please Note: Phase Shift is given in radians)
Figure 2
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Posted Comments:
Poster: Thorlabs
Posted Date: 2010-07-12 15:05:53.0
Response from Javier at Thorlabs to martensites: thank you for your feedback. We have not tested the maximum peak-to-peak voltage that the EO modulators can withstand. However, we do know that the crystal should perfom well and without any risk of damage at an input of +/- 240 V.
Poster: martensites
Posted Date: 2010-07-12 01:57:57.0
Please let me know the range of operating voltage of the EOM. Is it possible working on +- 240 V? (+-half wave voltage)
Poster: jjurado
Posted Date: 2010-06-01 21:26:42.0
Response from Javier at Thorlabs to andriyc: the common term used in amplitude/phase modulators is contrast ratio, which depends on factors such as input beam diameter, alignment through the crystal, extinction ratio of polarizers, and linewidth of laser source. The key parameter will be beam diameter; at ~1mm, contrast ratios on the order of 20:1 are typical. As the beam diameter decreases to around .5mm, typical values are on the order of 50:1. Also, focusing the beam can lead to higher contrast ratios, however you must be careful not to damage the crystal by incurring high power densities. You can also use pinholes to increase the contrast ratio well above 100:1. The C4 in the EO-AM-NR-C4 defines the anti-reflective coating, which covers 400-600nm, with a reflectivity < 0.5%. Though the reflectivity will not be as low, this modulator can still be used at 650nm with low reflectivity, in the order of <2%.
Poster: andriyc
Posted Date: 2010-05-31 09:42:45.0
What is the extinction ratio (of polarizations) for EO Amplitude Modulators (for ex. EO-AM-NR-C4).
Also, could EO-AM-NR-C4 be used for modulating wavelengths up to 650 nm? The division into versions Cx comes only from anti-reflection coating?
Poster: Adam
Posted Date: 2010-05-26 17:09:56.0
A response from Adam at Thorlabs to andriyc: The amplitude modulators can be used to modulate the polarization of the light as long as the incoming light is polarized.
Poster: andriyc
Posted Date: 2010-05-26 14:03:03.0
Is it possible to use Thorlabs EOM for modulation of the polarization?
Poster: Adam
Posted Date: 2010-04-21 08:54:43.0
A response from Adam at Thorlabs to pmd: At this time, there are no plans to add BBO or KDP crystals in our modulator line. However, I like the idea of offering modulators that work in the UV range and will mention your idea to our engineers as a customer inspired new product idea.
Poster: pmd
Posted Date: 2010-04-21 00:52:49.0
When will you add other crystals, like BBO and KDP to have modulators that are good in the UV?
Thanks,
Pedro.
Poster: Greg
Posted Date: 2010-04-13 17:16:01.0
A response from Greg at Thorlabs: We have added specifications to the Specs tab regarding the High Q Resonant option modulators. More information will be added on these modulators shortly.
Poster:
Posted Date: 2010-01-16 13:18:45.0
The presentation mentions but then doesnt provide any details on the: High Q Resonant Option. Are there specifics that could be added to help the reader understand what Thorlabs has to offer.
Poster: apalmentieri
Posted Date: 2009-12-15 13:05:20.0
A response from Adam at Thorlabs: At this time we do not offer high voltage amplifiers that will operate with bandwidths greater than 1MHz. If your modulation frequency is fixed, you may be able to use a resonant modulator. This will make your Q factor ~10 so your halfwave voltage will be ~20V @633nm. This will be much more manageable in terms of finding the appropriate driver electronics. I will email you with more information about pricing and lead time for these custom products. Please note that if you need to modulate from 20Mhz -50MHz a broadband modulator may be necessary and it becomes more difficult to find the appropriate driver electronics. I will email you with some suggestions for these as well.
Poster: stephanos
Posted Date: 2009-12-14 14:22:12.0
I noticed that although your modulators have a bandwidth of up to 100Mhz, the voltager amplifier you provide only has a bandwidth of 1MHz.
I am interested in a broadband Amplitude modulator that uses EO Modulators in the visible wavelength (400nm-670nm) that I can pulse modulate (digital input signals) and the resultant optical output can be pulse widths ~ 2nsec at rep rates of 10MHz-50MHz, with good extinction ratio (better than 200:1). Does Thorlabs have such a solution for me?
Feel free to contact me directly on my cell (408) 849-6619 or via e-mail:
Stephanos@Oramic.com
Poster: Laurie
Posted Date: 2008-12-09 10:27:02.0
Response from Laurie at Thorlabs to lsandstrom: Thank you for your feedback. The units are radians.
Poster: lsandstrom
Posted Date: 2008-12-09 10:15:55.0
What is the units on the axis in Fig. 1 in the graph tab?
The electro-optic amplitude modulator (EO-AM) is a Pockels cell type modulator consisting of two matched lithium niobate crystals (see figure 2 on the Graph Tab) packaged in a compact housing with an RF input connector. Applying an electric field to the crystal induces a change in the indices of refraction (both ordinary and extraordinary) giving rise to an electric field dependent birefringence which leads to a change in the polarization state of the optical beam. The EO crystal acts as a variable waveplate with retardance linearly dependent on the applied electric field. By placing a linear polarizer at the exit, the beam intensity through the polarizer varies sinusoidally with linear change in applied voltage.
Our EO phase modulators provide a variable phase shift on a linearly polarized input beam. The input beam is linearly polarized along the vertical direction which is the Z-axis of the crystal. A voltage at the RF input is applied across the Z-axis electrodes inducing a change in the crystal's extraordinary index of refraction thereby causing a phase shift in the optical signal.
The control signal may be a DC or a time varying RF signal. When the control voltage is a time varying signal, the optical beam undergoes frequency modulation whereby some of the energy at the fundamental frequency is converted into sidebands separated from the fundamental frequency by the integer multiples of the modulating frequency. The amount of energy converted into sidebands is determined by the depth of modulation. Figure 1 on the Graphs Tab shows a plot of relative sideband strength as a function of depth of modulation.
±200 V Bipolar Output
100 mA Pulsed Output Current (100 mA continuous)
1MHz Bandwidth
Low Noise
-20X Voltage Gain
CE Compliant
The Thorlabs HVA200 High Voltage Amplifier is designed to directly drive our Electro-Optic Modulators. The amplifier has many features, including a ±200 V output, a continuous current output of 100 mA, a 1 MHz bandwidth, and low noise. The voltage gain of -20 boosts the input up to the high voltages needed to drive our lithium niobate broadband modulators. An adjustable bias allows for precise DC offset control.
The HVA200 uses a high voltage, wideband, high slew rate output amplifier to achieve the desired output. The input amplifier includes a summing junction which allows an adjustable DC bias to be added to the input modulation. This composite signal is then boosted by a fixed voltage gain of 20 by the output amplifier. For added safety, a front panel HV Enable button must be pressed to connect the HV output to the output BNC. The DC Bias control consists of a rotary encoder, which allows precise control and repeatability. The bias adjustment is typically used to shift the DC level of the output as needed by the application. A voltage monitor output is provided to allow real-time monitoring of the high voltage output. The monitor has a scaling of 20:1 (when used with high impedance detectors) so that an output of 200 V results in a 10 V monitor voltage.
GTH5M Mounting Adapter for Our Electro-Optic Modulators
Easily Rotates Into and Out of Beam Path
13mm Diameter Aperture for Use With GTH5M #2-56 Mounting Screw and Washer Included
The EO-PMT allows for easy interface of a Glan Thompson polarizer (GTH5M) to our Electro-Optic Modulators. The single mounting point allows the mount to swivel the polarizer into and out of the light path; a useful feature that allows for alignment and adjustment of the electro-optic modulators. The EO-GTH5M packages the Glan Thompson polarizer (GTH5M) with the mounting adapter.
Adapter Plate Aligns an EO Modulator in Beam Path 4 Tapped Holes for Mounting the Modulator Alignment Pins for Mounting to any FiberTable or FiberBench over 70 mm Long
The FT-EOMA is a mounting bracket used to mount an EO Modulator onto a FiberTable or FiberBench. The length of the table needs to be at least 70 mm in the direction you wish to mount the modulator. This does not include the optional mount and polarizer (EO-GTH5M). The FiberTable Linear Polarizer modules are better suited for use with an EOM and a FiberTable.
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Zoom
The electro-optic amplitude modulator (EO-AM) is a Pockels cell type modulator consisting of two matched lithium niobate crystals (see figure 2 on the Graph Tab) packaged in a compact housing with an RF input connector. Applying an electric field to the crystal induces a change in the indices of refraction (both ordinary and extraordinary) giving rise to an electric field dependent birefringence which leads to a change in the polarization state of the optical beam. The EO crystal acts as a variable waveplate with retardance linearly dependent on the applied electric field. By placing a linear polarizer at the exit, the beam intensity through the polarizer varies sinusoidally with linear change in applied voltage.
EO-AM-NR-C4
- EO Amplitude Modulator, Wavelength: 400 - 600 nm
Zoom
Our EO phase modulators provide a variable phase shift on a linearly polarized input beam. The input beam is linearly polarized along the vertical direction which is the Z-axis of the crystal. A voltage at the RF input is applied across the Z-axis electrodes inducing a change in the crystal's extraordinary index of refraction thereby causing a phase shift in the optical signal.
The control signal may be a DC or a time varying RF signal. When the control voltage is a time varying signal, the optical beam undergoes frequency modulation whereby some of the energy at the fundamental frequency is converted into sidebands separated from the fundamental frequency by the integer multiples of the modulating frequency. The amount of energy converted into sidebands is determined by the depth of modulation. Figure 1 on the Graphs Tab shows a plot of relative sideband strength as a function of depth of modulation.
Zoom
±200 V Bipolar Output
Zoom
Zoom
Adapter Plate Aligns an EO Modulator in Beam Path
