Intensity-based modulator

An optical modulator comprising:

• a splitter configured to:
• receive light, and
• split the light into a plurality of portions of the light;
• a plurality of phase modulators, each of the plurality of phase modulators being configured to:
• receive a corresponding one of the plurality of portions of the light, and
• modulate a phase of the corresponding one of the plurality of portions of the light at a first frequency to provide a phase-modulated signal of a plurality of phase-modulated signals;
• a plurality of amplitude modulators, each of the plurality of amplitude modulators being configured to:
• receive a corresponding one of the plurality of phase-modulated signals, and
• modulate an amplitude of the corresponding one of the plurality of phase-modulated signals a second frequency to provide an amplitude-modulated signal of a plurality of amplitude-modulated signals;
• a plurality of intensity modulators, each of the plurality of intensity modulators being configured to:
• receive a corresponding one of the plurality of amplitude-modulated signals, and
• modulate an intensity of a corresponding one of the plurality of amplitude-modulated signals at a third frequency greater than the first and second frequencies to provide an intensity-modulated signal of a plurality of intensity-modulated signals,
• the plurality of intensity modulators including a first intensity modulator and a second intensity modulator, such that the modulation of the intensities of the plurality of amplitude-modulated signals is applied by a push-pull arrangement between the first and second intensity modulators;
• and
• a combiner configured to:
• receive the plurality of intensity-modulated signals,
• combine the plurality of intensity-modulated signals into a combined signal, and
• output the combined signal,
• where the plurality of portions of the light includes a first portion of light, a second portion of light, a third portion of light, and a fourth portion of light, and
• the plurality of phase modulators including:
• a first phase modulator configured to receive the first portion of light and modulate a phase of the first portion of light to provide a first phase-modulated signal having a first degree of phase,
• a second phase modulator configured to receive the second portion of light and modulate a phase of the second portion of light to provide a second phase-modulated signal having a second degree of phase,
• a third phase modulator configured to receive the third portion of light and modulate a phase of the third portion of light to provide a third phase-modulated signal having a third degree of phase, and
• a fourth phase modulator configured to receive the fourth portion of light and modulate a phase of the fourth portion of light to provide a fourth phase-modulated signal having a fourth degree of phase,
• the first degree of phase, the second degree of phase, the third degree of phase, and the fourth degree of phase being different from each other,
• where the plurality of amplitude modulators includes:
• a first amplitude modulator configured to receive the first phase-modulated signal and modulate an amplitude of the first phase-modulated signal to provide a first amplitude-modulated signal having a first amplitude,
• a second amplitude modulator configured to receive the second phase-modulated signal and modulate an amplitude of the second phase-modulated signal to provide a second amplitude-modulated signal having a second amplitude,
• a third amplitude modulator configured to receive the third phase-modulated signal and modulate an amplitude of the third phase-modulated signal to provide a third amplitude-modulated signal having a third amplitude, and
• a fourth amplitude modulator configured to receive the fourth phase-modulated signal and modulate an amplitude of the fourth phase-modulated signal to provide a fourth amplitude-modulated signal having a fourth amplitude,
• where the first intensity modulator is configured to receive the first amplitude-modulated signal and a first voltage signal from a digital-to-analog converter, and modulate an intensity of the first amplitude-modulated signal, based on the first voltage signal, to provide a first intensity-modulated signal having a first intensity, the second intensity modulator is configured to receive the second amplitude-modulated signal and a second voltage signal from the digital-to-analog converter, and modulate an intensity of the second amplitude-modulated signal, based on the second voltage signal, to provide a second intensity-modulated signal having a second intensity, the plurality of intensity modulators further includes:
• a third intensity modulator configured to receive the third amplitude-modulated signal and a third voltage signal from the digital-to-analog converter, and modulate an intensity of the third amplitude-modulated signal, based on the third voltage signal, to provide a third intensity-modulated signal having a third intensity, and
• a fourth intensity modulator configured to receive the fourth amplitude-modulated signal and a fourth voltage signal from the digital-to-analog converter, and modulate an intensity of the fourth amplitude-modulated signal, based on the fourth voltage signal, to provide a fourth intensity-modulated signal having a fourth intensity,
• the combiner combining the first intensity-modulated signal, the second intensity-modulated signal, the third intensity-modulated signal, and the fourth intensity-modulated signal to provide the combined signal.