Triangular pulse generation using a dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator driven by a single-frequency radio frequency...

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Communications
• Signal Generation

Background:

• Generating precise optical pulse shapes is crucial for high-speed optical signal processing.
• Traditional methods for triangular pulse generation often face limitations in duty cycle and harmonic suppression.
• Mach-Zehnder modulators are versatile components in photonic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a simple scheme for generating full-duty-cycle triangular pulses.
• To achieve suppression of even-order harmonics in the optical intensity.
• To experimentally validate the generation of high-frequency triangular pulse trains.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator (DPMZM).
• Driving the DPMZM with a single-frequency radio frequency (RF) signal.
• Precisely controlling bias voltages and RF power to manipulate harmonic content.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated suppression of even-order harmonics in the optical intensity.
• Achieved a first-order harmonic amplitude 9 times that of the third-order harmonic.
• Successfully generated periodical triangular pulse trains at 2.5, 5, and 10 GHz.

Conclusions:

• The proposed scheme offers a simple and effective method for generating full-duty-cycle triangular pulses.
• The technique allows for precise control over harmonic content, leading to improved pulse quality.
• Experimental results confirm the feasibility of generating high-frequency triangular pulse trains for potential applications in optical communications.