IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,372,848
Granted Patent B2
US 12,372,848 · App. 17/999,265 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Optical modulator and control method therefor

Inventors: Jiangbing Du (Shenzhen, CN); Haining Chong (Shenzhen, CN); Weihong Shen (Shenzhen, CN); Zuyuan He (Shenzhen, CN); Ningfeng Tang (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
G02F1/2257G02F1/217G02F2201/17G02F2203/15
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,372,848
App. No.
17/999,265
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are an optical modulator and control method therefor, the optical modulator includes an input waveguide, an adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity, a feedback loop waveguide, a first mode converter, and an output waveguide. The input waveguide is configured to receive an initial optical signal, the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity is configured to perform resonance and modulation processing on the initial optical signal and output a first optical signal, the feedback loop waveguide is configured to receive and transmit the first optical signal, the first mode converter is configured to perform mode conversion processing on the first optical signal and output a second optical signal to the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity, the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity is further configured to perform resonance and modulation processing on the second optical signal and output a third optical signal, and the output waveguide configured to receive and output the third optical signal.

Claims (65)

1. An optical modulator, comprising:

an input waveguide, configured to receive an initial optical signal;

an adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity, coupled to the input waveguide and configured to perform resonance and modulation processing on the initial optical signal and output a first optical signal;

a feedback loop waveguide, coupled to the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity and configured to receive and transmit the first optical signal;

a first mode converter, coupled to the feedback loop waveguide and configured to perform mode conversion processing on the first optical signal and output a second optical signal to the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity;

the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity being further configured to perform resonance and modulation processing on the second optical signal and output a third optical signal;

an output waveguide, coupled to the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity and configured to receive and output the third optical signal; and

a second mode converter, of which an input end is coupled to the output waveguide, and configured to perform mode conversion processing on the third optical signal and output a fourth optical signal.

2. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the first mode converter and the second mode converter are the same mode converters that are reversely arranged.

3. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity comprises a first coupling region and a second coupling region;

the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity is coupled to the input waveguide by the first coupling region;

the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity is coupled to the feedback loop waveguide by the first coupling region; and

the first mode converter is coupled to the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity by the second coupling region, and the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity is coupled to the output waveguide by the second coupling region.

4. The optical modulator of claim 3 , wherein the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity further comprises:

a first photoelectronic modulation module, a second photoelectronic modulation module, and a ring-shaped resonant cavity,

wherein the first photoelectronic modulation module is configured to adjust a refractive index of a first region of the ring-shaped resonant cavity;

the second photoelectronic modulation module is configured to adjust a refractive index of a second region of the ring-shaped resonant cavity; and

the first region is connected to the first coupling region and the second coupling region separately, and the second region is connected to the first coupling region and the second coupling region separately.

5. The optical modulator of claim 4 , wherein the first photoelectronic modulation module and the second photoelectronic modulation module are both silicon-based photoelectronic modulation modules; and

the silicon-based photoelectronic modulation modules each comprise the following regions that are arranged in sequence:

a first P-type heavily doped region,

a first P-type lightly doped region,

a first N-type lightly doped region, and

a first N-type heavily doped region.

6. The optical modulator of claim 5 , wherein the first P-type lightly doped region comprises at least two surfaces, and the first N-type lightly doped region covers the at least two surfaces of the first P-type lightly doped region; or

the first N-type lightly doped region comprises at least two surfaces, and the first P-type lightly doped region covers the at least two surfaces of the first N-type lightly doped region.

7. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the input waveguide comprises:

a single-mode input waveguide configured to receive an initial optical signal;

a first tapered waveguide, wherein an end of the first tapered waveguide is connected to the single-mode input waveguide; and

a multi-mode input waveguide, wherein the multi-mode input waveguide is connected to another end of the first tapered waveguide.

8. The optical modulator of claim 7 , wherein the feedback loop waveguide comprises:

a feedback multi-mode waveguide, wherein one end of the feedback multi-mode waveguide is connected to the multi-mode input waveguide;

a second tapered waveguide, wherein an end of the second tapered waveguide is connected to another end of the feedback multi-mode waveguide; and

an arc-shaped waveguide, wherein an end of the arc-shaped waveguide is connected to another end of the second tapered waveguide, and

wherein another end of the arc-shaped waveguide is connected to the first mode converter.

9. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the first mode converter comprises:

a first input single-mode waveguide, wherein an end of the first input single-mode waveguide is connected to the feedback loop waveguide;

a first single-mode coupling waveguide, wherein an end of the first single-mode coupling waveguide is connected to another end of the first input single-mode waveguide;

a first multi-mode coupling waveguide coupled to the first single-mode coupling waveguide;

a first conversion tapered waveguide, wherein an end of the first conversion tapered waveguide is connected to the first multi-mode coupling waveguide; and

a first output multi-mode waveguide, wherein an end of the first output multi-mode waveguide is connected to another end of the first conversion tapered waveguide, and another end of the first output multi-mode waveguide is connected to the output waveguide.

10. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the first mode converter comprises:

a first input single-mode waveguide, wherein an end of the first input single-mode waveguide is connected to the feedback loop waveguide;

a first single-mode coupling waveguide, wherein an end of the first single-mode coupling waveguide is connected to another end of the first input single-mode waveguide;

a first multi-mode coupling waveguide coupled to the first single-mode coupling waveguide; and

a first output multi-mode waveguide, wherein an end of the first output multi-mode waveguide is connected to an end of the first multi-mode coupling waveguide, and another end of the first output multi-mode waveguide is connected to the output waveguide.

11. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the second mode converter comprises:

a second input multi-mode waveguide, wherein an end of the second input multi-mode waveguide is connected to the output waveguide;

a second conversion tapered waveguide, wherein an end of the second conversion tapered waveguide is connected to another end of the second input multi-mode waveguide;

a second multi-mode coupling waveguide, wherein an end of the second multi-mode coupling waveguide is connected to another end of the second conversion tapered waveguide;

a second single-mode coupling waveguide, wherein the second single-mode coupling waveguide is coupled to the second multi-mode coupling waveguide; and

a second output single-mode waveguide, wherein an end of the second output single-mode waveguide is connected to an end of the second single-mode coupling waveguide.

12. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the second mode converter comprises:

a second input multi-mode waveguide, wherein an end of the second input multi-mode waveguide is connected to the output waveguide;

a second multi-mode coupling waveguide, wherein an end of the second multi-mode coupling waveguide is connected to another end of the second input multi-mode waveguide;

a second single-mode coupling waveguide, wherein the second single-mode coupling waveguide is connected to the second multi-mode coupling waveguide; and

a second output single-mode waveguide, wherein an end of the second output single-mode waveguide is connected to an end of the second single-mode coupling waveguide.

13. An optical modulator control method, comprising:

receiving an initial optical signal by an input waveguide;

performing resonance and modulation processing on the initial optical signal and outputting a first optical signal, by an adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity;

receiving and transmitting the first optical signal to a first mode converter, by a feedback loop waveguide;

performing mode conversion processing on the first optical signal and outputting a second optical signal, by the first mode converter;

performing resonance and modulation processing on the second optical signal and outputting a third optical signal, by the adjustable ring-shaped resonant cavity; receiving and outputting the third optical signal by an output waveguide; and

performing mode conversion processing on the third optical signal and outputting a fourth optical signal, by a second mode converter.

14. The optical modulator control method of claim 13 , wherein the first mode converter and the second mode converter are the same mode converters that are reversely arranged.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2022
From: DU, JIANGBING; CHONG, HAINING; SHEN, WEIHONG; HE, ZUYUAN; TANG, NINGFENG
To: ZTE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061824/0923 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202010437061.X · May 21, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230194907A1 · Jun 22, 2023
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