ALTERNATING TRAVELING-WAVE MACH-ZEHNDER MODULATOR

• US 20130343693A1
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acacia Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Acacia Communications Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: DOERR, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,817,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/3
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/011 in optical waveguides, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/2255 controlled by a high-frequency electromagnetic component in an electric waveguide structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/2257 the optical waveguides being made of semiconducting material
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/126 push-pull
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/127 travelling wave

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a traveling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulator and method of operating same that advantageously exhibits a reduced optical insertion loss as compared with contemporary Mach-Zehnder structures. Such advantage comes at the modest expense of increased modulator length and increased RF loss.

Claims

1. A method of driving a two-arm, traveling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulator comprising the steps of:

applying a drive voltage to the Mach-Zehnder modulator such that it alternates between one arm and the other arm.

2. A two-arm, traveling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulator comprising:

a first optical waveguide associated with the first one of the arms;

a second optical waveguide associated with the second one of the arms;

a traveling wave electrode that applies a modulated electrical field to a portion of the first optical waveguide; and

a second traveling wave electrode that applies modulated electrical field to a portion of the second optical waveguide;

wherein said traveling wave electrodes are driven alternately and not simultaneously.