Elektrooptisetenabled

Elektrooptisetenabled is a coined term used in photonics to describe systems and components that enable the control of light through electro-optical effects. The concept encompasses devices that convert electrical signals into optical changes, typically by modulating amplitude, phase, or polarization of light in real time.

The core mechanism relies on the electro-optic effect, where the refractive index of a material changes in response to an electric field (Pockels or Kerr effects). This enables fast modulation with relatively low optical loss.

Common materials include lithium niobate, lithium tantalate, potassium titanyl phosphate; also polymer-based electro-optic materials and silicon-organic hybrids for integration with silicon photonics.

Device types include electro-optic modulators, phase modulators, amplitude modulators, tunable optical filters, and switchable waveguides. In practice used in fiber-optic communications, free-space LIDAR, displays, and emerging optical computing.

Challenges include high drive voltages, integration with CMOS, temperature sensitivity, and material losses. Recent developments focus on thin-film LiNbO3 on silicon, hybrid and monolithic integration, and low-voltage modulators using plasmonic or nanophotonic structures.

The term is sometimes used in vendor literature and research to indicate readiness of a component or system to accept and respond to electronic control signals, thereby enabling reconfigurable optical networks and sensing systems.