Mach-zehnder (MZ) ring optical modulator
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsValerie Danelon, Denis Pache, Christophe Arricastres
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Abstract
A Mach-Zehnder ring modulator includes a first optical path having a first diode and a optical path having a second diode. Each of the first and second diodes operates responsive to a voltage signal by modifying a phase of a light signal. A first optical coupler provides first and second light signals to the first and second optical paths, respectively. A second optical coupler couples outputs from the first and second optical paths. A feedback path is coupled between an output of the second optical coupler and an input of the first optical coupler.
Claims27
A Mach-Zehnder ring modulator, comprising:
- a first optical path comprising a first diode that operates to modify a phase of a first light signal transmitted through the first optical path in response to a reverse bias applied by a voltage signal and to absorb the first light signal in response to a forward bias applied by the voltage signal;
- a second optical path comprising a second diode that operates to modify a phase of a second light signal propagated in the second optical path in response to the reverse bias applied by the voltage signal and to absorb the second light signal in response to the forward bias applied by the voltage signal;
- a first optical coupler that supplies the first and second light signals to the first and second optical paths;
- a second optical coupler that couples the first and second optical paths;
- and
- a feedback path coupled between an output of the second optical coupler and an input of the first optical coupler.
A Mach-Zehnder ring modulator, comprising:
- a first optical path comprising a first diode that operates to apply a phase modification to a first light signal transmitted through the first optical path in response to a voltage signal;
- a second optical path comprising a second diode that operates to apply the same phase modification to a second light signal transmitted through the second optical path in response to the voltage signal;
- a first optical coupler that supplies the first and second light signals to the first and second optical paths;
- a second optical coupler that couples the first and second optical paths;
- and
- a feedback path coupled between an output of the second optical coupler and an input of the first optical coupler.
A Mach-Zehnder ring modulator, comprising:
- a first optical path comprising a first diode that operates to modify a phase of a first light signal transmitted through the first optical path in response to a voltage signal;
- a second optical path comprising a second diode that operates to modify a phase of a second light signal transmitted through the second optical path in response to the voltage signal;
- a first optical coupler that supplies the first and second light signals to the first and second optical paths;
- a second optical coupler that couples the first and second optical paths;
- a further diode in the first optical path that operates to introduce a phase shift to the first light signal in response to a biasing voltage;
- a circuit that senses power at an output of the second optical coupler;
- a control circuit that generates the biasing voltage applied to the further diode based on the sensed power at the output of the second optical coupler;
- and
- a feedback path coupled between an output of the second optical coupler and an input of the first optical coupler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.