High-speed optical DQPSK and FSK modulation using integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometers

We investigated an integrated optical modulator consisting of two Mach-Zehnder interferometers. The modulator can generate optical signals in various types of modulation formats, which have advantages for long-haul transmission, optical labeling, etc. By using a fabricated versatile optical modulator having traveling-wave electrodes designed for high-speed signals, we demonstrated generation of optical 40Gb/s frequency-shift-keying signals, which can be demodulated by an optical filter. 80Gb/s optical differential quadrature-shift-keying modulation was also demonstrated, where 40Gb/s in-phase and quadrature data were, simultaneously, fed to the modulator.