Modulation system and method for generating a return-to-zero (RZ) optical data signal

1. A modulation system for generating a return-to-zero (RZ) optical data signal, comprising:

a Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator for generating the RZ optical data signal in response to an RZ electrical drive signal; and

a drive circuit, electrically connected to the MZ modulator, for generating the RZ electrical drive signal, and for driving the MZ modulator with the RZ electrical drive signal, comprising:

i) a logic XOR gate for receiving a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) electrical data signal and an inverse of an electrical clock signal, and for applying a logic XOR operation to the NRZ electrical data signal and the inverse of the electrical clock signal to generate an electrical intermediate signal; and

ii) a differential amplifier, electrically connected to the logic XOR gate and to the MZ modulator, for receiving the electrical intermediate signal and an inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal, and for differentially amplifying the electrical intermediate signal and the inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal to generate the RZ electrical drive signal.

2. The modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the drive circuit further comprises an amplitude adjuster, electrically connected to the differential amplifier, for adjusting an amplitude of the inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal to ensure that the inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal and the electrical intermediate signal are substantially amplitude-balanced when received by the differential amplifier.

3. The modulation system of claim 2 , wherein the amplitude adjuster is a buffer amplifier for amplifying the inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal.

4. The modulation system of claim 2 , wherein the amplitude adjuster is an attenuation pad for attenuating the inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal.

5. The modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the NRZ electrical data signal, the inverse of the electrical clock signal, the electrical intermediate signal, and the inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal are 2-level signals, and wherein the RZ electrical drive signal is a 3-level signal.

6. The modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the MZ modulator is biased at a minimum of a transfer function of the MZ modulator.

7. The modulation system of claim 6 , wherein the MZ modulator is biased at a bias voltage of approximately two times a switching voltage of the MZ modulator.

8. The modulation system of claim 7 , wherein the RZ electrical drive signal has an amplitude of approximately two times the switching voltage of the MZ modulator.

9. The modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the MZ modulator is a component of a dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder (DPMZ) modulator, and wherein the RZ optical data signal is a component of an RZ quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) optical data signal or of an RZ differential quadrature phase-shift keying (DQPSK) optical data signal.

10. The modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the MZ modulator is a component of a quad-parallel Mach-Zehnder (QPMZ) modulator, and wherein the RZ optical data signal is a component of an RZ dual-polarization quadrature phase-shift keying (DP-QPSK) optical data signal or of an RZ dual-polarization differential quadrature phase-shift keying (DP-DQPSK) optical data signal.

11. A method of generating a return-to-zero (RZ) optical data signal, comprising:

a) providing a Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator;

b) generating an RZ electrical drive signal by:

i) receiving a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) electrical data signal, an inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal, and an inverse of an electrical clock signal;

ii) applying a logic XOR operation to the NRZ electrical data signal and the inverse of the electrical clock signal to generate an electrical intermediate signal; and

iii) differentially amplifying the electrical intermediate signal and the inverse of the electrical data signal to generate the RZ electrical drive signal; and

c) generating the RZ optical data signal by driving the MZ modulator with the RZ electrical drive signal.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, prior to b)iii), adjusting an amplitude of the inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal to ensure that the inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal and the electrical intermediate signal are substantially amplitude-balanced.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the NRZ electrical data signal, the inverse of the electrical clock signal, the electrical intermediate signal, and the inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal are 2-level signals, and wherein the RZ electrical drive signal is a 3-level signal.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, prior to c), biasing the MZ modulator at a minimum of a transfer function of the MZ modulator.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the MZ modulator is biased at a bias voltage of approximately two times a switching voltage of the MZ modulator.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the RZ electrical drive signal has an amplitude of approximately two times the switching voltage of the MZ modulator.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the MZ modulator is a component of a dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder (DPMZ) modulator, and wherein the RZ optical data signal is a component of an RZ quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) optical data signal or of an RZ differential quadrature phase-shift keying (DQPSK) optical data signal.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the MZ modulator is a component of a quad-parallel Mach-Zehnder (QPMZ) modulator, and wherein the RZ optical data signal is a component of an RZ dual-polarization quadrature phase-shift keying (DP-QPSK) optical data signal or of an RZ dual-polarization differential quadrature phase-shift keying (DP-DQPSK) optical data signal.