Intensity-based modulator

US9312962B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infinera Corp. · US

Inventors

• David J. Krause · Kenosha, US
• Damien Lambert · Los Altos, US
• Masaki Kato · Palo Alto, US
• Vikrant Lal · Sunnyvale, US
• Radhakrishnan L. Nagarajan · Santa Clara, US
• Mehrdad Ziari · Pleasanton, US
• Fred A. Kish, Jr. · Palo Alto, US
• John D. McNicol · Ottawa, CA
• Han Henry Sun · Ottawa, CA
• Kuang-Tsan Wu · Gatineau, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 13, 2012
• Grant date: Apr 12, 2016
• Expiry date: Nov 13, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B10/548
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An optical modulator includes a splitter, phase modulators, amplitude modulators, intensity modulators, and a combiner. The splitter is configured to receive light, and split the light into portions of the light. Each of the phase modulators is configured to receive a corresponding one of the portions of the light, and modulate a phase of the portion of the light to provide a phase-modulated signal. Each of the amplitude modulators is configured to receive a corresponding one of the phase-modulated signals, and modulate an amplitude of the phase-modulated signal to provide an amplitude-modulated signal. Each of the intensity modulators is configured to receive a corresponding one of the amplitude-modulated signals, and modulate an intensity of the amplitude-modulated signals to provide an intensity-modulated signal. The combiner is configured to receive the intensity-modulated signals, combine the intensity-modulated signals into a combined signal, and output the combined signal.