Linearized optic modulator with segmented electrodes

An electro-optic modulator for providing a linearly modulated light signal, comprising:

• a substrate of an electro-optic material;
• a plurality of interferometric electro-optic modulators formed on said substrate and coupled in cascade, each of the plurality of electro-optic modulators including,
• i. a pair of first and second waveguide segments formed in said substrate and extending substantially coextensively with one another in a longitudinal direction, the first and second waveguide segments being separated by a transverse distance that gradually varies along a substantial portion of the course of the first and second waveguide segments;
• ii. an outer electrode assembly, substantially surrounding the first and second waveguide segments, the outer electrode assembly including a plurality of outer electrode segments, the plurality of outer electrode segments forming a plurality of n compartments through which the pair of first and second waveguide segments extend;
• and
• iii. a plurality of n inner electrode assemblies, one of the n inner electrode assemblies being located in each one of the n compartments, at least a portion of each one of the inner electrode assemblies being positioned between the portion of the first and second waveguide segments which extends through the compartment in which the one of the inner electrode assemblies is located;
• a modulating voltage source coupled to a first set of the inner electrode assemblies of each of the plurality of electro-optic modulators;
• a direct current bias voltage source coupled to at least one of the inner electrode assemblies of each of the plurality of electro-optic modulators;
• a first one in a chain of said cascaded electro-optic modulators further including an input waveguide coupler means for receiving an input light signal;
• a last one in the chain of said cascaded electro-optic modulators further including an output waveguide coupler means for providing a modulated light output signal;
• and
• means for controlling the bias voltage supplied by the direct current bias source to the inner electrode assemblies such that the bias voltage supplied to the inner electrode assemblies are maintained at predetermined levels for maximizing the linearity of the modulated light output signal.