On fundamental quantum noises of whispering gallery mode electro-optic modulators

Opt Express. 2007 Dec 10;15(25):17401-9. doi: 10.1364/oe.15.017401.

Abstract

Using the example of whispering gallery mode (WGM) electro-optic modulator (EOM) we show that the majority of phase EOMs, particularly the resonant types, introduce additional quantum noise to the modulated light. The noise power grows quadratically with the optical power and results from the unavoidable spontaneous emission process originating from the strongly nondegenerate parametric interaction. This latter process is the physical basis for modulation.