Mach-zehnder modulator arrangement and method for operating a mach-zehnder modulator arrangement

• Main Author: Velthaus, Karl-Otto
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 20.09.2017
• Subjects: DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING; FREQUENCY-CHANGING; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF

The invention relates to a Mach-Zehnder modulator arrangement, comprising - at least one electro-optic Mach-Zehnder modulator (1) comprising a first optical waveguide (11) forming a first modulator arm and a second optical waveguide (12) forming a second modulator arm; - a travelling wave electrode arrangement (2) comprising a plurality of first waveguide electrodes (21) for applying a voltage across the first optical waveguide (11) and a plurality of second waveguide electrodes (22) for applying a voltage across the second optical waveguide (12), wherein the first waveguide electrodes (21) are capacitively coupled to the second waveguide electrodes (22); and - a driver unit (41) for supplying an alternating voltage to the travelling wave electrode arrangement (2), wherein - the driver unit (41) comprises a first output port (441) coupled to the first waveguide electrodes (21) and a second output port (442) coupled to the second waveguide electrodes (22), wherein the driver unit (41) is configured to supply a first varying signal (S+) to the first waveguide electrodes (21) via the first output port (441) and to supply a second varying signal (S-) to the second waveguide electrodes (22) via the second output port (442). The invention further relates to a method for operating a Mach-Zehnder modulator arrangement.