Inherently broadband linearized electro-optic modulator with customizable performance

An RF photonic link comprising:

• a) an optical source;
• b) a linearized electro-optic modulator comprising:
• i) a first Mach Zehnder interferometer formed on a substrate and comprising a splitter having an input that is optically coupled to an output of the optical source and a first and second output, where a respective one of the first and second output of the splitter is optically coupled to a respective input of a first and second optical waveguide, and a combiner having a first and second input, where a respective one of the first and second input of the combiner is optically coupled to a respective output of the first and second optical waveguide;
• ii) a second Mach Zehnder interferometer formed on the substrate and comprising a splitter having an input that is optically coupled to an output of the optical source and a first and second output, where a respective one of the first and second output of the splitter is optically coupled to a respective input of a first and a second optical waveguide, and a combiner having a first and second input, where a respective one of the first and second input of the combiner is optically coupled to a respective output of the first and second optical waveguide;
• iii) a signal electrode positioned on the substrate to receive a modulation signal;
• iv) a first and second ground electrode positioned on the substrate that are electrically connected to ground potential, wherein the signal electrode and the first and second ground electrodes are positioned so that an electric field generated by the signal electrode modulates both the first and second Mach Zehnder interferometer to generate a first modulated optical signal at an output of the combiner of the first Mach Zehnder interferometer and a second modulated optical signal at an output of the combiner of the second Mach Zehnder interferometer;
• and
• v) an output combiner having a first input optically coupled to the output of the combiner of the first Mach Zehnder interferometer and having a second input optically coupled to the output of the combiner of the second Mach Zehnder interferometer, the output combiner combining the first and second modulated optical signals at an output of the linearized electro-optic modulator;
• and
• c) an optical detector having an input that is coupled to the output of the linearized electro-optic modulator, the optical detector generating a substantially linear RF signal.

A linearized electro-optic modulator comprising:

• a) a substrate comprising a first Mach Zehnder interferometer comprising a first and second optical waveguide and a second Mach Zehnder interferometer comprising a first and a second optical waveguide;
• b) a signal electrode positioned on the substrate to receive a modulation signal;
• and
• c) a first and second ground electrode positioned on the substrate that are electrically connected to ground potential,
• wherein the signal electrode and the first and second ground electrodes are positioned so that an electric field generated by the signal electrode modulates both the first and second Mach Zehnder interferometer to generate a first and a second modulated optical signal and wherein the signal electrode is positioned over the first optical waveguide of one of the first or second Mach-Zehnder interferometers and one of the first and second ground electrodes is positioned over the second optical waveguide of the one of the first or second Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

An RF photonic link comprising:

• a) an optical source;
• b) a linearized electro-optic modulator comprising:
• i) a substrate comprising a first Mach Zehnder interferometer comprising a first and second optical waveguide having an input that is optically coupled to an output of the optical source and a second Mach Zehnder interferometer comprising a first and a second optical waveguide that is optically coupled to an output of the optical source;
• ii) a signal electrode comprising a plurality of electrode segments and positioned on the substrate to receive a modulation signal;
• and
• iii) a first and second ground electrode positioned on the substrate that are electrically connected to ground potential,
• wherein the signal electrode and the first and second ground electrodes are positioned so that an electric field generated by the signal electrode modulates both the first and second Mach Zehnder interferometer to generate a first modulated optical signal at a first output and a second modulated optical signal at a second output;
• and
• c) an optical receiver having a first input that is coupled to the first optical output of the linearized electro-optic modulator and a second input that is coupled to the second output of linearized electro-optic modulator, the optical receiver generating a substantially linear RF signal.