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US 6,552,837 B2Granted
Optical modulator with integrated driver
AssigneeModeTek, Inc
InventorsDariush Mirshekar-Syahkal, Eric Goutain
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated high speed driver/modulator assembly includes a driver amplifier assembly having a specified input impedance, such as 50 ohms. The driver/modulator assembly also includes an optical modulator having a modulator transmission line. The impedance of the modulator transmission line is less than the specified input impedance, which results in a reduced Vπ for the optical modulator. The reduction in Vπ enables the driver/modulator assembly to more effectively support OC-768 and higher data rates of at least 40 Gb/s.
Claims43
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedances wherein
- said driver input impedance is 50 ohms;
- and
- said driver output impedance is less than 50 ohms.
3 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- wherein
- said driver amplifier assembly comprises a plurality of driver amplifier devices including at least an initial driver amplifier device and a final driver amplifier device;
- said initial driver amplifier device has an input impedance that substantially matches said driver input impedance;
- and
- said final driver amplifier device has an output impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance.
5 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- wherein
- said driver amplifier assembly is configured to operate with a bandwidth of at least 30 GHz.
2 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- wherein
- said driver amplifier assembly is configured to accommodate drive signals having a data rate of at least 40 Gb/s.
2 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- wherein
- said driver amplifier assembly and said optical modulator are configured for compatibility with OC-192 systems.
2 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- wherein
- said optical modulator operates with a drive voltage of less than 5 volts.
2 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- wherein
- said driver amplifier assembly comprises a driver input transmission line having an impedance that substantially matches said driver input impedance, a driver output transmission line having an impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance, and a driver amplifier device coupled to said driver input transmission line and to said driver output transmission line;
- and
- said optical modulator is coupled to said driver output transmission line.
4 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- wherein
- said driver amplifier assembly comprises a driver input transmission line having an impedance that substantially matches said driver input impedance, a driver output transmission line having an impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance, and a plurality of driver amplifier devices coupled in series between said driver input transmission line and said driver output transmission line;
- and
- said optical modulator is coupled to said driver output transmission line.
4 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly comprising:
- a driver input impedance;
- a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- an initial driver amplifier device having an input impedance that substantially matches said driver input impedance and having an output impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- and
- a final driver amplifier device connected in parallel with said initial driver amplifier device, said final driver amplifier device having an input impedance that substantially matches said driver input impedance and having an output impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance.
5 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- wherein
- said driver input impedance is 50 ohms;
- said driver output impedance is less than 50 ohms;
- and
- said driver amplifier assembly is configured to accommodate drive signals having a data rate of at least 40 Gb/s.
5 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance and a driver output impedance different than said driver input impedance;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator having a modulator input impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance;
- wherein
- said optical modulator comprises a modulator transmission line having an impedance that substantially matches said driver output impedance.
2 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- a driver amplifier assembly comprising a driver input transmission line, a driver output transmission line, and a driver amplifier arrangement coupled to said driver input transmission line and to said driver output transmission line, said driver amplifier arrangement having a driver amplifier input section and a driver amplifier output section;
- and
- an optical modulator coupled to said driver amplifier assembly, said optical modulator comprising a modulator transmission line and an optical waveguide;
- wherein
- said driver input transmission line and said driver amplifier input section each exhibit substantially the same input impedance;
- said driver output transmission line, said driver amplifier output section, and said modulator transmission line each exhibit substantially the same output impedance;
- and
- said output impedance is less than said input impedance.
5 more elements
An integrated driver/modulator comprising:
- an optical modulator comprising a modulator transmission line having a modulator transmission line impedance;
- and
- a driver amplifier assembly comprising a plurality of driver amplifier devices coupled to said modulator transmission line, said driver amplifier assembly having a driver input impedance greater than said modulator transmission line impedance;
- wherein
- at least one of said driver amplifier devices has a driver output impedance that substantially matches said modulator transmission line impedance.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.