ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the fundamentals of some principal photonic devices, which can be essential for processing of ultrafast electrical and electronic signals in the photonic domain, including optical communications and microwave photonics. It provides a brief description of the erbium -doped fiber amplifiers, which are widely used in the current long-haul optically amplified transmission systems and processing networks. The chapter introduces the principles of modulation of the lightwaves using electro-optic, electro-absorption, and interferometric effects in lightwaves continuously generated by the laser; the lithium niobate (LiNbO3) uniaxial or polymer materials systems. It outlines the relevant LiNbO3 technology and the operational principles of such modulators. The chapter analyses the uses of Mach-Zehnder Interferometric Modulator in terms of specific applications rather than the types of the devices LiNbO3 or electro-absorption modulator. It also outlines the fundamental understanding of the applications of Titanium: LiNbO3 and polymeric optical modulators for high-speed photonic systems.
