Directly modulated laser optical transmission system with phase modulation

Abstract

An optical transmitter for generating a modulated optical signal for transmission over a fiber optic link to a remote receiver including a laser; an input coupled to the laser for directly amplitude modulating the laser with an analog RF signal to produce an output optical signal including an amplitude modulated information-containing component; and a phase modulator coupled to the output of the laser for reducing the distortion present in the received optical signal at the remote receiver.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 080,721, filed Mar. 15, 2005.[0002]This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 946,056 filed Sep. 21, 2004, and assigned to the common assignee.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]1. Field of the Invention[0004]This invention relates to an optical transmission system for analog signals, and in particular to a directly modulated solid-state laser. More particularly, the invention relates to the cancellation of phase modulated components arising from chirp in the semiconductor laser, which has its output distorted from its directly modulated input due to inherent non-linearity in the laser.[0005]2. Description of the Related Art[0006]Directly modulating the analog intensity of a light-emitting diode (LED) or semiconductor laser with an electrical signal is considered among the simplest methods known in the art for transmitting analog signa...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides an optical transmitter for reducing noise in a 1550 nm analog optical transmission system. The optical transmitter includes a laser, modulation circuit, and optical phase modulator. The modulation circuit directly modulates the laser with an analog signal using the optical phase modulator to reduce distortion in the signal. The invention also provides a low-cost direct modulation technique, preferably including a circuit for controlling the optical phase modulator to reduce second and higher even order distortion products. Additionally, the invention provides a chirp cancellation circuit for reducing distortion in the transmission of analog signals by canceling phase component distortion inherent in nonlinear transmitting devices.

Problems solved by technology

Although such analog transmission techniques have the advantage of substantially smaller bandwidth requirements than digital transmission, such as digital pulse code modulation, or analog or pulse frequency modulation, the use of amplitude modulation may suffer from noise and nonlinearity of the optical source.

For applications in metro and long haul fiber transmission links, the group velocity dispersion of the link requires that externally modulated 1550 nm lasers be used, but such external modulation techniques are complex and expensive.

One of the difficulties in designing an analog system at 1550 nm is that suitable low chirp linear lasers for use at 1550 nm are not known in the prior art.

Distortion inherent in certain analog transmitters prevents a linear electrical modulation signal from being converted linearly to an optical signal, and instead causes the signal to become distorted.

These effects are particularly detrimental to multi-channel video transmission, which requires excellent linearity to prevent channels from interfering with each other.

Linearization of optical and other nonlinear transmitters has been studied for sometime, but proposed solutions suffer from practical disadvantages.

Most applications discussed above have bandwidths which are too large for many practical implementations.

Feedforward techniques require complex system components such as optical power combiners and multiple optical sources.

Quasi-optical feedforward techniques suffer from similar complexity problems and further require extremely well matched parts.

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