In-phase RF drive of Mach-Zehnder modulator push-pull electrodes by using coupled quantum well optical active region
US6933583B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 10, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 23, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 10, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2201/126
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A coupled quantum well Mach-Zehnder modulator that employs a push-pull structure to reduce the modulation voltage. The Mach-Zehnder modulator includes a first arm having a first PIN semiconductor device and a second arm having a second PIN semiconductor device. The intrinsic layers of the PIN devices include a coupled quantum well structure to provide an opposite index of refraction change for different DC bias voltages. An RF signal used to modulate the light beam is applied to the two arms in phase and causes the index of refraction in the intrinsic layers of the two PIN devices to change in opposite directions so that a push-pull type drive is achieved without requiring 180° out-of-phase RF drive signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.