Quantum Hamiltonian theory of an electro-optical modulator.

A Quantum Hamiltonian formalism is proposed for the description of an electro-optical modulator based on the linear Pockels effect. Optical photons interact with photons of a microwave mode in a combined high- Q cavity made of a LiNbO crystal. The microwave photons occupy a coherent state, while optical photons have an arbitrary density matrix. The spectrum of a photodetected modulated signal is analyzed as a function of the frequency of a tunable optical filter. Numerical estimates are obtained, and quantum effects in the spectrum, such as the red shift of the central frequency and sidebands, the possibility of modulation of the optical signal by the microwave field vacuum, and the asymmetry of the intensity of the spectral sidebands, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]