Differential drive and binary weighted modulators

An optical modulator, comprising:

• a driving module including a digital signal processor (DSP) and a linear driver coupled with the DSP, the DSP having at least one input and a plurality of differential outputs, the linear driver having a first number of differential inputs and having a second number of differential outputs, the plurality of differential outputs of the DSP being coupled with the first number of differential inputs for the linear driver, the linear driver being configured to convert the first number of differential inputs to a second number of differential outputs, the second number being the first number multiplied by an even integer, the linear driver having a loss of not more than 3 dB;
• a plurality of waveguides including a thin film lithium-containing (TFLC) electro-optic material, each of the plurality of waveguides having a plurality of arms;
• a plurality of differential electrodes coupled to the second number of differential outputs, each of the plurality of differential electrodes including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, at least a portion of an arm of the plurality of arms between a portion of the positive electrode and a portion of the negative electrode;
• wherein the optical modulator has a bandwidth including a frequency of one hundred GHz, the bandwidth not exceeding a maximum frequency of three hundred GHz.

A method, comprising:

• providing, from a driving module having a first number of differential inputs and a second number of differential outputs and to a plurality of differential electrodes, a plurality of differential signals, the second number being equal to the first number multiplied by an even integer;
• providing, to each of a plurality of waveguides including a thin film lithium-containing (TFLC) electro-optic material, an optical signal, each of the plurality of waveguides having a plurality of arms, each of the plurality of differential electrodes including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, at least a portion of an arm of the plurality of arms between a portion of the positive electrode and a portion of the negative electrode, such that the plurality of differential signal modulate the optical signal in each of the plurality of waveguides;
• and
• combining the modulated optical signal from each of the plurality of waveguides.