MACH-ZEHNDER MODULATOR WITH INDIVIDUALLY OPTIMIZED COUPLERS FOR OPTICAL SPLITTING AT THE INPUT AND OPTICAL COMBINING AT THE OUTPUT

摘要

Mach-Zehnder modulator with index tuned multimode interference couplers comprising a substrate, an optical input waveguide on the substrate for receiving a light signal, and an input multimode interference coupler. The input multimode interference coupler splits the received light and propagates it down two separate waveguides. Also, the input multimode interference coupler contains electrodes that allow the index of refraction to be tuned. These waveguides contain phase shift regions so that the light signals can be combined at the output multimode interference coupler out of phase. This allows the modulation of the light signal. Also, the output multimode interference coupler contains electrodes that allow the index of refraction to be tuned. The modulated light signal is then outputted through an output waveguide. The tuning of the index of refraction for the input and output multimode interference couplers eliminates the sensitivity of the areas to variations in their geometry.