Patent · US Active

Non-blocking mach-zehnder modulator arm imbalance monitoring and control through tones

US10082718B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
1References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 16, 2016
Grant dateSep 25, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 16, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02F1/212
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for non-blocking Mach-Zehnder Modulator (MZM) arm imbalance monitoring and control through tones are disclosed herein. An optical transmitter may include an MZM to supply a first portion of light to an in-phase arm and a second portion to a quadrature arm of the MZM. The optical transmitter may apply modulator arm adjustments and dither signals to the two portions. Then, the MZM may combine the two portions into an optical output signal. The optical transmitter may tap the optical output signal to provide a first portion of the optical output signal and transmit a second portion. Also, the optical transmitter may obtain first error signals, based on the first dither signal, and second error signals, based on the second dither signal, of the first portion of the output signal. The optical transmitter may change the modulator arm adjustments based on the error signals.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.