Phase modulator-based generation of high-quality high bit rate return-to- zero optical data streams

摘要

Apparatus and method for generating a return-to-zero (RZ) optical data stream. A laser or other continuous wave (CW) optical source generates an optical carrier signal which is applied to a phase modulator. A return-to- zero data generator multiplies a non-return-to- zero (NRZ) electrical data stream and a sinusoidal electrical signal to generate an RZ electrical data stream. The phase modulator modulates the RZ electrical data stream onto the optical carrier signal to generate a phase-modulated optical signal. A Stokes portion or an anti-Stokes portion of the phase- modulated optical signal spectrum is then spectrally separated in an optical filter to provide a corresponding output RZ optical data stream. The spectral separation may be provided using a discrete filter coupled to the output of the phase modulator, or using transmission line filtering in a soliton transmission system. The use of the phase modulator to perform data encoding operations avoids the modulation bias drift problems inherent in amplitude modulators.