Electro-optic waveguide modulator method and apparatus
OwnerTal Fishman, Ori Aphekinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical modulator for modulating light with an electrical signal, the modulator comprising: an optical cavity, for enhancing an optical field of said light in a first mode, an electrical input for receiving an electrical signal, a transformer associated with said cavity and with said electrical input for transforming light within said optical field into a second mode substantially orthogonal to said first mode, in accordance with said electrical signal, and an selective output coupler associated with said optical cavity, to couple said second mode to an output, thereby to provide, at said output, light modulated in accordance with said electrical signal. Also disclosed is an internally modulated laser.
Claims122
An optical modulator for modulating light with an electrical signal, the modulator comprising:
- an optical cavity, for enhancing an optical field of said light in a first mode,
- an electrical input for receiving an electrical signal,
- a transformer associated with said cavity and with said electrical input for transforming light within said first optical mode into a second mode substantially orthogonal to said first mode, in accordance with said electrical signal, and
- a selective output coupler associated with said optical cavity, to couple said second mode to an output, thereby to provide, at said output, light modulated in accordance with said electrical signal.
The optical modulator of claim 17 wherein said input coupler is any one of a group comprising a directional coupler;
- an asymmetric directional coupler;
- an MMI;
- a Bragg grating;
- a Y coupler;
- an Asymmetric Y coupler;
- an HR coating and a free space diffractor.
An internally modulated laser comprising
- an optical cavity for enhancing light in a substantially first mode and providing laser feedback,
- an optical gain medium associated with said cavity,
- an electrical input for receiving an electrical signal,
- a transformer, associated with said electrical input and with said cavity, to couple light in said optical cavity from said first mode to a second mode, in accordance with said electrical signal, and
- a selective output coupler, to direct said light in said second mode to an output.
A method of modulating light according to an electrical signal, comprising:
- setting up an optical cavity for light in a predetermined optical state, there being a second state orthogonal to said first state,
- pumping said light into an optical cavity tuned for said first state,
- applying said electrical signal about said optical cavity to transform at least some of the light thereabout, via the electro-optical effect, to enter said second state, and
- coupling at least some of said transformed light from said cavity, to an optical signal output, thereby to provide at said optical signal output, light modulated with said electrical signal, and wherein said second state is substantially orthogonal to said first state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.