Return-to-zero optical modulator with configurable pulse width

[0002] The invention is directed to a telecommunication network, and in particular to a return-to-zero optical modulator with configurable pulse width.

[0003] A typical 10 Gbps system uses non-return-to-zero (NRZ) coding formats to create a 10-Gbps signal, most often using a DFB laser and an external modulator to encode the signal.

[0004] Return-to-zero (RZ) encoding has lately emerged for ultra-long-haul 10 Gbps (for example in submarine transmission systems) and long-haul 40 Gbps because the RZ encoded signal has a higher peak power, providing a high signal-to-noise ratio and a corresponding low bit error rate. RZ also offers good immunity to the effects of polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) and polarization dependent loss (PDL), and can benefit from fiber nonlinear effects such as self phase modulation. Because symbols are isolated from one another, RZ pulses can take advantage of the soliton effect that arises from the interaction between fiber dispersion and self-phase modulation.

[0005] On the other hand, NRZ signals require a single external modulator, while RZ signals typically require two modulators in cascade, one to modulate the data and one to generate the RZ pulse shape, adding cost and complexity. In some cases, a third MZ is used to impart phase modulation (frequency chirp) on the RZ pulses. With this conventional approach, the RZ pulse generator is driven with a sinusoid at the line rate or one-half the line rate, depending on the bias point of the MZ, and the data modulator is driven with the NRZ modulated electrical signal. The resulting RZ pulse width is generally constrained to a full-width, half-maximum (FWHM) of 33%, 50% or 67% of a bit period when the MZ is biased at, respectively, maximum transmittance, one-half maximum transmittance, and minimum transmittance.

[0006] Having to use a second MZ device to generate RZ pulses, not only requires additional space in the transmitter terminal, but also adds cost to the terminal. In addition, the constraint on RZ pulse width limits a designer's ability to optimize a system based on RZ pulse width. This cost is most important in DWDM systems, where each channel has its own transmitter, and the number of channels is currently up to 160.

[0007] It is an object of the invention to provide an optical modulator for optical communication of RZ encoded signals, which alleviates totally or in part the drawbacks of the prior art network architectures.

[0008] Accordingly, the invention provides for a return-to-zero (RZ) modulator for an optical transmitter, comprising a Mach-Zehnder device optically coupled with a light source for modulating a continuous wave generated by the light source with a modified drive signal; and a drive circuit for modulating the Mach-Zehnder device to generate an optical RZ pulse signal with adjustable width.

[0009] The invention also provides a method of generating an optical RZ pulse signal comprising: converting a non-return to zero (NRZ) signal to a modified drive signal, and modulating a continuous wave from a light source with the modified drive signal to generate an optical RZ pulse signal.

[0010] The invention provides for a less expensive optical terminal than the traditional solutions, due to the use of a single M-Z device. Additional cost savings are obtained since one bias circuit is necessary, as opposed to two such circuits when two M-Z devices are used.

[0011] Still another advantage of the invention is that it allows adjusting the width of the pulses in the optical signal.

[0012] The objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of the preferred embodiments, as illustrated in the appended drawings, where:

[0013] FIG. 1A shows a NRZ encoded drive signal;

[0014] FIG. 1B illustrates a RZ encoded drive signal;

[0015] FIG. 1C shows a conventional RZ external modulator, with an R-Z device operating in a single-ended mode;

[0016] FIG. 1D shows a M-Z device operating in a push-pull mode;

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates the principle of operation of a RZ modulator according to the invention;

[0018] FIG. 3A shows an embodiment of the RZ modulator according to the invention; and.

[0019] FIG. 3B shows a circuit for controlling the width of the pulses in the optical RZ signal.

[0020] First, the current modulation method is described in some detail with reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C for a better understanding of the structure, characteristics and operation of the modulation technique according to the invention.

[0021] A number of coding techniques are used in communication systems (electrical or optical) to transmit a signal between a transmitting terminal and a receiving terminal.

[0022] FIG. 1A shows a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) waveform while FIG. 1B shows a return-to-zero (RZ) waveform. NRZ is probably the most commonly used encoding. A binary ‘1’ is represented by one level, and a binary ‘0’ is represented by another level, extending over the entire timeslot. There is a change in level whenever the data changes from a ‘1’ to a ‘0’ or from a ‘0’ to a ‘1’.

[0023] For RZ encoding, a ‘1’ is represented by a pulse with a width less than a timeslot, and a ‘0’ is represented by the absence of a pulse.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1C, in current optical transmission systems, the transmitter includes a laser 1 operating in continuous wave (CW) mode, and an external modulator 20, for controlling the amount of continuous optical power transmitted in the fiber with the signal to be transmitted. FIG. 1C shows a Mach-Zehnder (M-Z) interferometer 2 used to provide the RZ pulse shape, and a second M-Z interferometer 2′ used to modulate the data (information) over the RZ pulses. An M-Z interferometer, such as shown in some detail for interferometer 2, comprises a pair of wave-guide channels 5, 6 or arms, connected between an optical wave-guide splitter 3, and a wave-guide combiner 4. The light source 1 is optically coupled to the wave-guide splitter 3. The two light beams from the splitter travel through the wave-guide arms 5, 6 and are reunited by the wave-guide combiner 4. The recombined light exits the output port of the wave-guide combiner and is then optically coupled to the second M-Z interferometer 2′.

[0025] The optical M-Z interferometer operates on the principle of interference between the two optical waves, the interference condition being controlled using the electrodes (traveling wave electrodes) 7 and 7′ placed along arm 5 in this embodiment (single-ended modulation). Assuming that the arms of the M-Z device are balanced, whenever the two beams arrive at combiner 4 in phase the modulating voltage P_RZis zero (logic ‘0’), giving an intensity maximum, or an “on” condition. Conversely, a maximum (logic ‘1’) modulating voltage P_RZresults for a differential phase change of π(180°), giving rise to an intensity minimum or “off” condition.

[0026] It is possible to place an electrode on the second arm as in FIG. 1D (push-pull mode of operation).

[0027] A tone generator 8 provides generally a sinusoidal signal S_tone(sinusoid, or tone) at the line frequency, and a data generator 9 provides the data (information) signal S_NRZ. S_toneis applied on the electrode(s) of the M-Z device 2 to generate optical pulses P_RZof equal amplitude, occupying in general ½ of the bit period. A high-power sinusoid is required to drive M-Z device 2.

[0028] The second M-Z device 2′ receives the optical pulses P_RZoutput from the first interferometer, while the data (information) signal S_NRZis applied on the electrode(s) in electrical format. M-Z device 2′ modulates the optical pulses P_RZwith the data (information) S_NRZwhich is encoded in NRZ format. The RZ modulated optical signal is thereafter coupled over the transmission line 10. The phase of S_NRZsignal (i.e. generator 9) and the S_tonesignal (i.e. generator 8) must be carefully aligned. A synchronizer 11 intuitively shows that S_NRZsignal and the P_RZpulses are in synchronism, so that each bit in the data signal S_NRZcorresponds to a P_RZpulse.

[0029] As indicated above, the modulator 20 of FIG. 1C is expensive in that it uses two M-Z modulators, which are costly. In principle, a modulated RZ signal could be obtained from a single MZ device by applying S_NRZsignal in RZ format to the M-Z interferometer 2, and not using device 2′. However, such an approach would require very high electrical bandwidth, for both the drive circuit and the modulator, and would be increasingly impractical for generating narrower RZ pulses.

[0030] The present invention proposes a new solution for a RZ optical modulator, using a single M-Z interferometer, in an arrangement that also allows adjusting the width of the pulses in the optical signal.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates the principle of operation of an RZ modulator according to the invention. As shown, a NRZ encoded electrical signal S_NRZis converted to a modified drive signal denoted with S_drivebefore being applied to drive a M-Z modulator. Each logical ‘1’ in the original NRZ signal is mapped to a transition 15 in the drive signal, whereas logical ‘0s’ in the original signal S_NRZare mapped to no transition. Hence, the drive signal S_driveis NRZ-like, where transitions between states represent a logical ‘1’, and where no transition represents a logical ‘0’. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the drive signal is set to 2V_π, where V_π, is the switching voltage for the M-Z device, and applied to the M-Z biased at maximum transmittance 13.

[0032] The M-Z device converts the drive signal into optical signal O_RZ, which is RZ modulated. The width of RZ pulses can be controlled by the rise and fall time of the drive signal.

[0033] FIG. 3A shows an embodiment of a RZ modulator according to the invention. A NRZ signal and a clock signal at the line rate are usually available at a transmitter. These signals are used with a format converter 30 to obtain the desired drive signal S_drive. The format converter 30 may for example be comprised of a clocked-trigger flip-flop 31, which is clocked at roughly the middle of an NRZ data bit. An optional driver amplifier 32 can be used to boost the drive signal, if required. A low-pass filter 34 can be used to increase the rise and fall time in the drive signal, i.e., to control the optical RZ pulse width. Filter 34 allows controlling the width of pulses in the O_RZsignal up to 33% of the bit period.

[0034] The main practical consideration is that the peak-to-peak amplitude of the drive signal must be 2Vπ, which is generally between 6 and 12 volts for current MZ devices 2 operating at 10 Gbits. Although a high-power driver may be used, a practical implementation would likely operate the MZ in a push-pull mode, which would reduce the required drive amplitude by one-half. Reducing the drive amplitude is desirable because a larger selection of high bandwidth drivers would then be available.

[0035] The minimum achievable rise and fall time is limited by the bandwidth of the trigger flip-flop output, the following driver amplifier (if one is used), and the electrical bandwidth of the M-Z device. Because higher bandwidth devices usually cost more, the bandwidth of these devices would likely be specified to achieve a desired pulse width, for which an increase in the rise and fall time would not be needed, i.e., no low-pass filter 34 would be required. For example, to generate RZ pulses with a FWHM (full width half maximum) of ˜25% of a bit period, the required electrical bandwidth is roughly equivalent to that needed for a conventional NRZ modulated electrical signal operating at the same bit rate.

[0036] As indicated above, filter 34 allows adjusting the pulse width up to 33% of a bit period. Pulse width control circuit 40 shown in FIG. 3B allows generation of wider O_RZpulses.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3B, the modified driving signal at the output of format converter 30 is split into two components 41 and 42. One of the components, here component 42, is delayed by block 43 with a delay time less than the bit period T_B. Delay block 43 could be a delay line or any suitable circuit. The subsequent combination of the components 41 and 42 in an add circuit 44, results in a transition time adjustable drive signal S′_drivewith a slower transition time 15, as shown at the output of circuit 40 in FIG. 3B. The transition time of the pulses in the S′_drivecan easily be adjusted by selecting the delay introduced by block 43. With a drive signal such as S′_drive, the width of the O_RZpulses can be increased beyond 33% of the bit period. The pulse width control circuit 40 can be integrated into the format converter 30 or driver amplifier 32.

[0038] Wider pulses however will require wider bandwidth from the format converter 30 output and driver amplifier 32, and the M-Z device 2 in order to prevent inter-symbol interference (ISI) in the modified electrical drive signal.