Apparatus for Converting Optical Bipolar Signals to Optical Unipolar Signals

摘要

An apparatus for converting a bipolar optical signal to a unipolar optical signal includes first and second photodetectors electrically coupled in series for receiving the bipolar optical signal. An electro-absorption modulator such as a self-linearized modulator, for example, is electrically coupled to the photodetectors. The modulator serves to transmit therethrough a portion of the power of an optical beam in an amount proportional to the power of the bipolar optical signal to form a transmitted beam. A constant current source is provided for supplying a current that shifts the power of the optical beam transmitted through the modulator by a predetermined amount, thus forming the desired unipolar optical signal. MATH