Lead silicate microstructured optical fibres for electro-optical applications

We report progress towards the realization of optical modulators based on electro-optic effects in soft glass fibres. A hybrid fabrication procedure was developed for producing microstructured lead silicate glass fibres with internal electrodes. Electro-optical characterization confirms experimentally that the enhanced nonlinear properties and superior isolation between the optical field and the electrodes make these fibres an ideal candidate platform for efficient electro-optical devices. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America