Barium titanate and lithium niobate permittivity and Pockels coefficients from megahertz to sub-terahertz frequencies

Abstract The Pockels effect is essential for controlling optical signals at the highest speeds, particularly for electro-optic modulators in photonic integrated circuits. Lithium niobate (LN) and barium titanate (BTO) are two excellent Pockels materials to this end. Here we measure the Pockels coefficients and permittivity in LN and BTO over a continuous frequency range from 100 MHz to 330 GHz. These properties are constant across this frequency range in LN, but have a strong frequency dependence in BTO. Still, our measurements show that BTO has remarkable electro-optic properties compared with LN. Furthermore, we show how BTO devices can be designed with a flat electro-optic frequency response despite the Pockels coefficient dispersion. Finally, we expound our method for broadband characterization of these vital electro-optic properties, utilizing specialized integrated electro-optic phase shifters. Altogether, this work empowers the design of high-speed BTO devices and the development of new electro-optic materials.