LiNbO3 Mach-Zehnder modulator with low drive voltage requirement and adjustable chirp
AssigneeAgere Systems Inc.
InventorsJohannes G. Ransijn, James D. Yoder
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Abstract
An electro-optic modulator and associated method are provided. The electro-optic modulator includes an optical waveguide comprised of two pairs of coplanar modulation strips, the strips being driven by a controller circuit which applies voltages of equal amplitude and opposite polarity to the strips of each pair. The voltage applied to the first pair of strips may differ from the voltage applied to the second pair of strips, so that a chirp factor may be adjusted if desired. The modulator and associated method exhibit reduced drive voltage requirements.
Claims37
An electro-optic modulator, comprising:
- first and second pairs of coplanar modulation strips;
- and
- a controller circuit including first and second drive circuits respectively coupled to said first and second pairs of coplanar modulation strips,
- wherein said first drive circuit drives said first pair of modulation strips in response to an applied input signal using first and second differential signals, and said second drive circuit drives said second pair of modulation strips in response to said applied input signal using third and fourth differential signals.
An electro-optic modulator, comprising:
- first and second pairs of coplanar modulation strips;
- and
- a controller circuit including first and second drive circuits respectively coupled to said first and second pairs of coplanar modulation strips, wherein said first drive circuit drives said first pair using first and second differential signals respectively applied to first and second strips of said first pair, and said second drive circuit drives said second pair using third and fourth differential signals respectively applied to third and fourth strips of said second pair,
- wherein said first and second drive circuits include respective first and second variable data voltage sources, and wherein output voltage of each of said first and second variable data voltage sources is variable between approximately 0 volt and one-half of a final drive voltage of the modulator.
A data communications system, comprising:
- an optical transmitter;
- a data source;
- and
- a transmission medium configured to transmit data from said data source using said transmitter and an electro-optical modulator, said electro-optical modulator comprising:
- first and second pairs of coplanar modulation strips;
- and
- a controller circuit including first and second drive circuits respectively coupled to said first and second pairs of coplanar modulation strips,
- wherein said first drive circuit drives said first pair using first and second differential signals, and said second drive circuit drives said second pair using third and fourth differential signals.
A method of operating an electro-optic modulator, comprising:
- providing first and second pairs of coplanar modulation strips;
- coupling said first and second pairs of coplanar modulation strips to respective first and second drive circuits;
- driving said first pair of modulation strips using first and second differential signals, wherein said first and second differential signals are each generated by said first drive circuit in response to an applied input signal, and driving said second pair of modulation strips using third and fourth differential signals, wherein said third and fourth differential signals are each generated by said second drive circuit in response to said applied input signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.