Semiconductor MZ optical modulator and method using semiconductor MZ optical modulator

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor MZ optical modulator facilitating the positioning of an optical component of an optical input/output portion in modulator assembly, and functioning as an output light intensity monitor when the modulator is in operation, and a method using the semiconductor MZ optical modulator.SOLUTION: The semiconductor MZ optical modulator comprises: an input optical waveguide; a first multiplexer/demultiplexer configured by branching the input waveguide into two; a first interferometer waveguide connected to one branch of the first multiplexer/demultiplexer; a second interferometer waveguide connected to the other branch of the first multiplexer/demultiplexer; and a second multiplexer/demultiplexer connected to the first interferometer waveguide and the second interferometer waveguide. The second multiplexer/demultiplexer has an LED/PD waveguide composed of a pn layer structure, and an output waveguide.