OPTICAL DEVICE FOR GENERATING AND MODULATING THz AND OTHER HIGH FREQUENCY SIGNALS
First Claim
1. An optical device comprising a waveguide network, a sideband generator, and an optical filter, wherein:
- said waveguide network is configured to direct an optical signal from an optical input of said optical device through said sideband generator and said optical filter to an optical output of said optical device;
said sideband generator comprises an electrooptic interferometer comprising first and second waveguide arms and a modulation controller configured to drive said sideband generator at a control voltage substantially larger than Vπ
to generate frequency sidebands about a carrier frequency of said optical signal, where Vπ
represents the voltage at which a π
phase shift is induced between respective arms of said interferometer; and
said optical filter is configured to discriminate between said frequency sidebands and said carrier frequency such that sidebands of interest can be directed to said optical output.
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Abstract
Optical generation and modulation is carried out in the optical domain and converted to, for example, the THz band using suitable optical/electrical conversion hardware. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electrooptic modulator is significantly overdriven to create sidebands on an optical carrier signal. An arrayed waveguide grating or other suitable filter is then used to filter the optical signal and remove the carrier signal and unwanted sidebands. The desired sidebands are then combined to create an optical signal that can be encoded with data through suitable modulation. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
41 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An optical device comprising a waveguide network, a sideband generator, and an optical filter, wherein:
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said waveguide network is configured to direct an optical signal from an optical input of said optical device through said sideband generator and said optical filter to an optical output of said optical device; said sideband generator comprises an electrooptic interferometer comprising first and second waveguide arms and a modulation controller configured to drive said sideband generator at a control voltage substantially larger than Vπ
to generate frequency sidebands about a carrier frequency of said optical signal, where Vπ
represents the voltage at which a π
phase shift is induced between respective arms of said interferometer; andsaid optical filter is configured to discriminate between said frequency sidebands and said carrier frequency such that sidebands of interest can be directed to said optical output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An optical device comprising a waveguide network, a sideband generator, and an optical filter, wherein:
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said waveguide network is configured to direct an optical signal from an optical input of said optical device through said sideband generator and said optical filter to an optical output of said optical device; said sideband generator comprises a phase modulator comprising an optical waveguide and a modulation controller configured to drive said sideband generator at a control voltage substantially larger than Vπ
to generate frequency sidebands about a carrier frequency of said optical signal, where Vπ
represents the voltage at which a π
phase shift is induced in said optical waveguide; andsaid optical filter is configured to discriminate between said frequency sidebands and said carrier frequency such that sidebands of interest can be directed to said optical output.
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7. An optical device comprising a waveguide network, a sideband generator, and an optical filter, wherein:
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said waveguide network is formed over a device substrate and is configured to direct an optical signal from an optical input of said optical device through said sideband generator and said optical filter to an optical output of said optical device; said sideband generator is formed over said device substrate and is configured to generate frequency sidebands about a carrier frequency of said optical signal; and said optical filter is formed over said device substrate and is configured to discriminate between said frequency sidebands and said carrier frequency such that sidebands of interest can be directed to said optical output. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification