OPTICAL MODULATOR

摘要

An optical modulator (1C) is composed of an electrooptical material and comprises a substrate (2) having a first major surface and a second major surface, an optical waveguide formed on the substrate (2) and having a first branch section (5) and a second branch section (3), and earth electrodes (4A, 4C) and a signal electrode (4B) the three installed on the first major surface. The first and second branch sections (5, 3) are installed between the edge of earth electrode (4A) and the edge of the signal electrode (4B) and between the edge of the earth electrode (4C) and the edge of the signal electrode (4B), respectively. When a microwave eclectic field is applied to the interaction sections of the first and second branch sections (5, 3), the light propagating through the first and second branch sections (5, 3) is modulated. In this modulation, the integral values of the electric field intensities with respect to the electrode interaction lengths in the first and second branch sections, thereby giving a predetermined chirp amount.