Thin-Film Lithium Tantalate Modulator Operating at High Optical Power

Handling high optical power in electro-optic modulators is critical for applications in nonlinear optics, microwave photonics, and THz communications. While thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) modulators provide ultralarge bandwidth, their performance under high optical power is constrained by photorefractive (PR) effects. Thin-film lithium tantalate (TFLT) addresses this challenge with its significantly higher optical damage threshold and reduced PR effects, making it a promising material for high-power applications. In this work, we designed and experimentally demonstrated a high-performance TFLT modulator capable of stable operation at optical powers up to 28 dBm (630.9 mW). Compared to TFLN-based modulators, the TFLT device achieves enhanced stability and exhibits consistent high efficiency, low insertion loss, and large electro-optic bandwidth across various power levels. These results highlight the potential of TFLT modulators for next-generation high-power photonic systems.