Electro-optical modulator and method of modulating an optical beam to carry an RF signal
US11429007B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 24, 2019 |
| Grant date | Aug 30, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 24, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/56
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A Mach Zehnder modulator operates by phase modulating split optical beams with a modulating signal to create dissimilarities in the optical characteristics between the split beams. When the beams are recombined, the dissimilarities gives rise to intensity modulations that are indicative of the modulating signal. One or both beams are modulated with an RF trimming signal. The trimming signal is applied asymmetrically across the two beams thereby reducing the intensity of the optical carrier frequency in one of the beams more than in the other. By selecting the size of the trimming signal the differences in the optical amplitude of the carrier frequency in the two beams can be nulled.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.