Magazine Article

Electro-Optical Modulator Bias Control Using Bipolar Pulses

TBMG-11647

07/01/2007

Abstract
Content

An improved method has been devised for controlling the DC bias applied to an electro-optical crystal that is part of a Mach-Zehnder modulator that generates low-duty-cycle optical pulses for a pulse-position modulation (PPM) optical data-communication system. In such a system, it is desirable to minimize the transmission of light during the intervals between pulses, and for this purpose, it is necessary to maximize the extinction ratio of the modulator (the ratio between the power transmitted during an “on” period and the power transmitted during an “off” period). The present method is related to prior dither error feedback methods, but unlike in those methods, there is no need for an auxiliary modulation subsystem to generate a dithering signal. Instead, as described below, dither is effected through alternation of the polarity of the modulation signal.

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Citation
"Electro-Optical Modulator Bias Control Using Bipolar Pulses," Mobility Engineering, July 1, 2007.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Jul 1, 2007
Product Code
TBMG-11647
Content Type
Magazine Article
Language
English