1

The I/Q modulator

Nested MZM
Using a nested MZM structure together with a PM a
general I/Q modulator can be developed
It is the fundamental component for Tx of all
multilevel modulation formats used in optical
communications
Commercial products are available on the market
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2
Layout
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Splitter
1->2
Combiner
2->1
u
v
( ) t E
out
( ) t E
p
( ) t E
q
'
( ) t E
q
MZM
p
MZM
q
PM

( ) t v
p
( ) t v
q
( ) t E
in
( ) t E
q in,
( ) t E
p in,
Splitter
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in
E
j E
E
(

=
(

1
2
1
2
1
in
E
1
E
2
E
3
MZM
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( ) t E
out
MZM

( ) t v
in
( ) t E
in
( ) ( )
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
t t
t t
V
v
ER
j
V
v
t E t E
in in
in out
2
cos
2
sin
Phase modulator
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u
v
PM

( ) t E
out
( ) t E
in
( ) ( )
t
|
t
V
V
j
in out
e t E t E =
2
t
|
V
V = ( ) ( ) t jE t E
in out
=
4
Combiner
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( )
2 1
2
1
jE E E
out
+ =
out
E
1 , in
E
2 , in
E
Overall I/Q Mod transfer function
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( ) ( )

|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
+
+
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
t t
t t
t t
t t
V
v
ER
j
V
v
j
V
v
ER
j
V
v
t E t E
q q
p p
in out
2
cos
2
sin
2
cos
2
sin
2
1
Ideal case: ER=
( ) ( )
)
`

|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
t t
t t
V
v
j
V
v
t E t E
q p
in out
2
sin
2
sin
2
1
5
If E
n
(t) is a CW
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( )
L
j
L in
P t E
u
= e
( )
L
j q p L
out
V
v
j
V
v P
t E
u
)
`

|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
= e
2
sin
2
sin
2
t t
t t
CW optical source:
As u
L
is a constant, we can suppose u
L
= 0
( )
)
`

|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
t t
t t
V
v
j
V
v P
t E
q p L
out
2
sin
2
sin
2
Modulation space
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Properly driving the I/Q mod with the signals v
p
(t) and v
p
(t), we can
generate an output optical field wherever in the following plane
( ) { } t E
out
Re
( ) { } t E
out
Im
2
L
P
2
L
P

2
L
P

2
L
P
+
Within this area
we can design a
constellation of signals in
order to have transmit a
multilevel modulation
format