JP2016218424A - Optical transmitter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adjust various bias voltages of a semiconductor optical modulator to optimum values at startup of the optical transmitter or when a bias drift occurs.SOLUTION: The optical transmitter has: a semiconductor optical modulator having an MZ interferometer having two branches; a drive amplifier for generating a drive signal; a bias voltage generator for generating a drive signal bias voltage for the drive signal; a phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator for generating a phase difference adjustment bias voltage to adjust an optical phase difference in branches; and a controller. After setting the drive signal bias voltage to an initial value, the controller makes the phase difference adjustment bias voltage swept and determines an optimum value, and then makes the drive signal bias voltage swept and determines an optimum value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical transmitter.

  As means for generating an optical signal used for an optical transmitter, an optical modulator having a function of modulating the intensity and optical phase of CW light (continuous light) is widely used. There are several types of optical modulators. In a basic optical modulator, an optical input terminal for inputting a CW light source, an optical output terminal for outputting a modulated signal, and an electrical data signal are input. Drive signal input electrodes. In the ideal optical modulator, a light intensity modulation signal and an optical phase modulation signal corresponding to the RF drive signal applied to the drive signal input electrode are output from the optical output terminal.

In an actual optical modulator, the quality of the optical signal output from the optical output terminal may deteriorate with time due to temperature fluctuations and other reasons. Normally, when driving an optical modulator, a DC bias voltage is applied to adjust the optical phase difference of the interferometer of the optical modulator to an appropriate value. The optimum value of the bias voltage varies with time. To do. This phenomenon is called bias drift. In an optical modulator using LiNbO ₃ (lithium niobate), if a bias drift is left unattended, an optical signal deteriorates within a few hours so that it cannot be demodulated. Therefore, in-service ABC (Auto Bias Control: bias voltage) Automatic adjustment) is essential.

In recent years, a semiconductor optical modulator that can be integrated with a semiconductor laser and can be easily reduced in size has attracted attention. The semiconductor modulator performs optical modulation utilizing the quantum confined Stark effect in a semiconductor such as InP (indium phosphide). Although there is an advantage that the bias drift is very small as compared with the optical modulator using LiNbO ₃ , the bias drift cannot be ignored in the long term. Further, the semiconductor optical modulator has some problems as described below.

Problem 1. The non-linearity between the potential (and bias voltage) of the drive signal and the optical electric field is larger and irregular in LiNbO ₃ . Therefore, when performing complex modulation such as a high-order quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signal, it is necessary to suppress this nonlinearity.
Problem 2. Since a semiconductor is used, it is necessary to limit the drive signal and the bias voltage to either a positive voltage or a negative voltage. On the other hand, a driver amplifier that drives an optical modulator is usually designed to amplify a high-speed modulation signal and cannot output a DC component. For this reason, it is necessary to apply a bias voltage to the output of the driver amplifier so that the drive signal is always a positive voltage or a negative voltage. As a result, the number of types of bias voltage is larger than that of an optical modulator using LiNbO _3, and the scale of the ABC circuit is increased.
Problem 3. The wavelength dependence of the optimum value of the bias voltage group is larger than that of the optical modulator using LiNbO ₃ . For this reason, when the apparatus is started up or when the signal wavelength is changed, the burden on the ABC circuit becomes larger than that of the optical modulator using LiNbO ₃ .

Here, as an example of driving the semiconductor optical modulator and applying a bias voltage, a configuration example of a conventional optical transmitter that generates Carrier-Suppressed Return-to-Zero (CS-RZ) modulated light using the semiconductor modulator will be described. . FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional optical transmitter. The CW light input to the semiconductor optical modulator M is input to the Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer 2. The differential output type drive amplifier 3 receives a binary data signal and generates drive signals V _data and −V _data obtained by amplifying the data signal. The drive signals V _data and −V _data are signals having no DC component and spanning positive and negative voltages symmetrically with respect to the GND level. The drive signal ± V _data, the drive signal for the bias voltage generator 4 drive signal bias voltage V ₄ generated by is applied by the first bias T (Bias Tee) 5a and a second bias T5b. If (± V _data + V ₄ ) is always positive or always negative, the modulator drive signal always takes a positive voltage or always a negative voltage, and the problem 2 described above is solved, and the semiconductor optical modulator M is normal. Can be driven. Which of the positive and negative voltages is selected is uniquely determined by the internal structure of the semiconductor optical modulator M.

The modulator drive signal is applied to each of the two branches of the MZ interferometer 2 via the first drive signal input electrode 6a and the second drive signal input electrode 6b of the semiconductor optical modulator M. As a result, the phases of the two lights propagating through the two branches are subject to changes in iφ (V _data + V ₄ ) and iφ (−V _data + V ₄ ). Here, iφ (v) is a function having the voltage v of the modulator drive signal as an argument. As described above, in the semiconductor optical modulator M, the function iφ (v) is a non-linear function with respect to the voltage. However, if the characteristics of the first drive signal input electrode 6a and the second drive signal input electrode 6b are completely the same, this non-linearity cancels each other, and a non-linearity between the voltage of the drive signal and the optical waveform. Sex can be suppressed (see Non-Patent Document 1). Thereby, the above-mentioned problem 1 is alleviated.

Next, consider the moment when both the drive signals V _data and -V _data are at the GND level. In order to generate CS-RZ modulated light, the output light of the MZ interferometer 2 must be quenched at this moment. In other words, the interferometer must be biased to the null point. In order to achieve this condition, the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7 generates two kinds of voltages of the phase difference adjusting bias voltage (V ₇₀ ± V ₇ ), and the first optical semiconductor M has the first voltage. Are applied to the two branches of the MZ interferometer 2 via the phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7a and the second phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7b. Here, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned problem 2, (V ₇₀ ± V ₇ ) is always set to be positive or negative. If the phase change of the two lights propagating through the two branches caused by the phase difference adjusting bias voltage is expressed by a function iθ (v) of the phase difference adjusting potential bias voltage, iθ (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and iθ (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ). The function iθ (v) is also a non-linear function with respect to the voltage.

At the moment when the drive signals V _data and −V _data are both at the GND level, V _data = 0, so that the phase difference between the two lights propagating through the two branches is
{Iφ (V ₄ ) + iθ (V ₇₀ + V ₇ )} − {iφ (V ₄ ) + iθ (V ₇₀ −V ₇ )}
= Iθ (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) −iθ (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) Equation 1
It is represented by However, non-essential terms are omitted, and the characteristics of the first drive signal input electrode 6a and the second drive signal input electrode 6b are the same. n is an integer,
iθ (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) −iθ (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) = π × (2n + 1) Equation 2
By finely adjusting V ₇ so as to be, the MZ interferometer 2 can be biased to the null point, and normal SC-RZ light can be generated.

If you want to select another modulation format,
iθ (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) −iθ (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) = π × (2n) Equation 3
As follows: iθ (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) −iθ (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) = π × (2n + 0.5) Equation 4
May be biased to an intermediate value.

In the above description, V ₇₀ ± V ₇ , which is the most easily understood combination of bias voltages, has been selected for ease of explanation. However, the present invention is not limited to this combination. For example, the potential of the second phase difference adjustment bias electrode 7b (or the first phase difference adjustment bias electrode 7a) is set to GND, and the second expression 4 to expression 4 are used. After changing the second term (or the first term) to 0, the output voltage of the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7 may be determined so as to satisfy Equations 2 to 4.

Eiichi Yamada, Akira Ohki, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Yasuo Shibata, Takako Yasui, Kei Watanabe, Hiroyuki Ishii, Ryuzo Iga, and Hiromi Oohashi, "Full C-band 40-Gbit / s DPSK Tunable Transmitter Module Developed by Hybrid Integration of Tunable Laser and InP npin Mach-Zehnder Modulator ", Optical Fiber Communication (OFC), collocated National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference, 2010 Conference on (OFC / NFOEC), IEEE, March 2010, p.1-3 Hiroto Kawakami, Takayuki Kobayashi, Eiji Yoshida, and Yutaka Miyamoto, "Auto bias control technique for optical 16-QAM transmitter with asymmetric bias dithering", Optics Express, 2011, Vol. 19, No. 26, p.B308-B312

As described above as problem 1 and problem 3, in the semiconductor optical modulator M, the functions iφ (x) and iθ (x) are non-linear functions having a voltage as an argument. However, these functions are also strongly dependent on the wavelength of the CW light input to the semiconductor optical modulator. Therefore, when changing the signal wavelength must be greatly changed V ₇ in the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ and the phase difference adjusting bias voltage, the changing procedure and the optimum value of the plurality of bias The detection method was not known.

As shown in Problem 1 above, the relationship between the drive signal, the bias voltage, and the optical electric field is nonlinear, so that the half-wave voltage depends on the bias voltage V ₄ . Here, the half-wave voltage means an optical phase difference {iφ (V _data + V ₄ ) + iθ (V ₇₀ + V ₇ )} derived from the drive signal shown in FIG.
− {Iφ (−V _data + V ₄ ) + iθ (V ₇₀ −V ₇ )} Equation 5
Is the amount of change in the drive signal voltage required to change from 0 to π. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 8, since the drive signal is differential drive, the “drive signal voltage” is V _data − (− V _data ) = 2V _data.
It becomes.

In the present specification, the voltage amplitude of the drive signal (the amplitude of 2V _data ) with respect to twice the half wavelength voltage is defined as the swing rate. The swing rate is usually set to about 50% for NRZ signals, 100% for CS-RZ modulation, and about 40% for maintaining multilinear QAM. However, even if the amplitude of 2V _data is adjusted to set the swing rate to an appropriate value, if the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ is adjusted in accordance with the change in the wavelength of the CW light, the nonlinearity and wavelength dependence of the function iφ (x) This causes a problem that the swing rate also changes. This correction means was not known.

Further, when the MZ interferometer is biased to the null point as in CS-RZ modulation or multilevel QAM, the change in the optical power of the modulated light at the time of bias drift changes according to the swing rate. In the case of CS-RZ modulation or quaternary QAM, if the swing rate is greater than 50%, the optical power of the modulated light becomes maximum when the bias is correctly at the null point. However, if the swing rate is smaller than 50%, the optical power of the modulated light is minimized when the bias is correctly at the null point (see Non-Patent Document 2). In the case of a semiconductor optical modulator, generally, as the absolute value of the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ increases, the swing rate also increases. However, the extent to which the swing rate exceeds 50% depends on the wavelength dependence described above. Not self explanatory. When a driving signal for the bias voltage V ₄ with the change of the wavelength also changes adjusted to swing ratio was not also known whether it bias the null point be selected if the optical power of the modulated light.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical signal capable of controlling various bias voltages of the semiconductor optical modulator to optimum values when the optical transmitter is started up or when a bias drift occurs. To provide a transmitter.

One aspect of the present invention includes at least one MZ interferometer having two branches, a drive signal input electrode that is provided for each branch and to which a voltage that changes an optical phase of an optical signal propagating through the branch is applied. A semiconductor optical modulator having a phase difference adjusting bias electrode provided for each branch and applied with a voltage for adjusting an optical phase difference of an optical signal propagating through the branch; and a drive signal (± V _data ) applying a generation driving amplifier, and the drive signal for the bias voltage generator for generating a driving signal for the bias voltage V ₄ to be applied to the drive signal, the phase difference adjusting bias voltage of DC to the phase difference adjusting bias electrode A bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment, the drive amplifier, the bias voltage generator for drive signal, and the bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment are controlled and controlled. It includes a controller that performs Ass automatic voltage adjustment, the voltage bias voltage the drive signal to the drive signal to the drive signal input electrode is applied _(V data + _{V 4)} and a voltage _(-V data _{+ V} 4) Are applied to the optical phase of the optical signal propagating through the branch, iφ (V _data + V ₄ ) and iφ (−V _data + V ₄ ). The controller sends a command to the drive signal bias voltage generator to generate a predetermined voltage V ₄₀ as an initial value of the drive signal bias voltage when the optical transmitter is started up. feed, to the voltage applied to the driving signal input electrodes (± _{V data +} V ₄₀₎ always in a positive or negative value, the controller, the drive signal After allowed to apply the voltage to the input electrode _{(± V data + V 40)} , to sweep the voltage value of the phase difference adjusting bias voltage causes applied the phase difference adjusting bias voltage to the phase difference adjusting bias electrode When the controller sends a command to the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator and the controller determines that the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is optimized while sweeping the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, the controller performs sweep. A command to stop is sent to the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator, and the controller stops a sweep of the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, and then sweeps the drive signal bias voltage for the drive signal. When the controller sweeps the bias voltage for the drive signal, the controller When a drive signal for the bias voltage is determined to become optimum, sends a command to stop the sweeping the bias voltage generator for the drive signal, and ends the processing at startup of the optical transmitter, an optical transmitter.

One aspect of the present invention, in the optical transmitter, the controller, at the time of start-up of the optical transmitter, prior to generating the drive signal for the bias voltage of the voltage V _40, and turns off the driving amplifier After generating the drive signal bias voltage of the voltage V ₄₀ , the drive amplifier is turned on.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, in the above optical transmitter, the controller has a maximum value, a minimum value, or a maximum value of the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator when the optical transmitter is started up. The phase difference adjusting bias voltage is determined to be optimal, and the controller determines the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator when the optical transmitter is started up. Determines that the bias voltage for the drive signal has become optimal, and uses the maximum value, minimum value, or half of the maximum value in the determination by the controller. It is determined in advance.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, in the above optical transmitter, when the controller biases the MZ interferometer to a null point, the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator becomes a maximum value. The drive signal bias voltage is determined to be optimum.

According to one aspect of the present invention, in the optical transmitter described above, when the voltage amplitude of the drive signal (amplitude of 2V _data ) with respect to twice the half-wave voltage of the semiconductor optical modulator is defined as a swing rate, the controller At the time of starting up the optical transmitter, the swing rate is less than 50% regardless of the wavelength of continuous light input to the semiconductor optical modulator during the period of sweeping the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment. setting the voltage V ₄₀ of or the drive signal for the bias voltage to reduce the gain of the driver amplifier, wherein the controller, after to terminate the processing at the time of startup of the optical transmitter, the gain of the driver amplifier Change to gain during normal operation of the optical transmitter.

One aspect of the present invention, in the optical transmitter, and dithering means for applying a dithering frequency f _dither the bias voltage and the phase difference adjusting bias voltage the drive signal is output from the semiconductor optical modulator Monitoring means for monitoring the optical power of the modulated light, and synchronous detection means for synchronously detecting a component that is an integral multiple of the frequency f _dither from the optical power of the modulated light monitored by the monitoring means, Sends a command for adding dithering to the phase difference adjustment bias voltage to the dithering means during a period of sweeping the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, and the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means is 0 or When the absolute value of the synchronous detection result is the maximum, it is determined that the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment is optimal and the position is The sweep of the bias voltage for difference adjustment is stopped, and the controller sends a command for adding dithering to the bias voltage for driving signal to the dithering means during a period of sweeping the bias voltage for driving signal, When the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means is 0 or when the absolute value of the synchronous detection result is the maximum, it is determined that the drive signal bias voltage is optimal, and the sweep of the drive signal bias voltage is stopped, and the controller In this determination, whether the synchronous detection result is 0 or the maximum absolute value of the synchronous detection result is used is determined in advance.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, in the above optical transmitter, when the controller stops sweeping when the synchronous detection result is 0, synchronization with respect to a minute change in the drive signal bias voltage and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is performed. Whether the sweep is stopped when the slope of the detection result is positive and the synchronous detection result is 0, or the slope of the synchronous detection result with respect to minute changes in the drive signal bias voltage and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is negative. And whether to stop the sweep when the synchronous detection result is 0 is determined in advance.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, in the above optical transmitter, when the synchronous detection result is 0, the controller stops sweeping, and synchronous detection is performed for a minute change in the drive signal bias voltage and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage. Whether the sweep is stopped when the slope of the result is positive and the synchronous detection result is 0, or the slope of the synchronous detection result with respect to a minute change in the bias voltage for driving signal and the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment is negative There is a switch that enables selection of whether to stop the sweep when the synchronous detection result is 0.

  One aspect of the present invention is a differential input type in which, in the optical transmitter, the drive signal input electrode corresponding to each branch of the MZ interferometer is input with a drive signal with an inverted sign, When the magnitude of the change in the optical phase in each branch of the MZ interferometer with respect to the drive signal of the positive phase and the reverse phase applied to the drive signal input electrode is different, the drive signal bias voltage generator Drive signal bias voltage and negative phase drive signal bias voltage are generated, the magnitude of the change in optical phase caused by the positive phase drive signal bias voltage, and the negative phase drive signal bias voltage The positive-phase drive signal bias voltage and the negative-phase drive signal bias voltage are determined so that the magnitude of the change in the optical phase caused by the voltage is equal.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, in the optical transmitter described above, when the controller adjusts the drive signal bias voltage, the optical power of the modulated light substantially matches a predetermined target value of the optical power. It is determined that the drive signal bias voltage is optimized.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, in the optical transmitter described above, the controller stores in advance three types of relations between a target value of the optical power, an optical wavelength, and a signal format as a data table or an approximate expression, The controller determines a target value of the optical power in advance using the data table or the approximate expression before adjusting the drive signal bias voltage.

One aspect of the present invention, in the optical transmitter, and dithering means for applying a dithering frequency f _dither on at least one of the drive signal for the bias voltage or the phase difference adjusting bias voltage, said semiconductor optical modulator Monitoring means for monitoring the optical power of the modulated light output from the monitor, and synchronous detection means for synchronously detecting a component that is an integral multiple of the frequency f _dither from the optical power of the modulated light monitored by the monitoring means. The controller sends a command for adding dithering to the phase difference adjustment bias voltage to the dithering means during a period of sweeping the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, and the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means The value obtained by adding a predetermined error correction offset value to 0 or the absolute value of the synchronous detection result is the maximum. At this time, it is determined that the phase difference adjustment bias voltage has become optimum, and the sweep of the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is stopped, and the controller drives the drive during the period of sweeping the drive signal bias voltage. A command for adding dithering to the signal bias voltage is sent to the dithering means, and a value obtained by adding a predetermined error correction offset value to the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means is 0 or an absolute value of the synchronous detection result In the determination that the bias for the drive signal is optimized when the maximum is, and the sweep of the bias voltage for the drive signal is stopped and the sweep by the controller is stopped, the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means Whether the value obtained by adding the error correction offset value is 0 or the maximum absolute value of the synchronous detection result is used. The error correction offset value can be changed to a value in a positive / negative range including 0 by a setting change by the controller.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the optical transmitter described above, the bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment includes a voltage (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and a voltage (V) in each of the two branches of the MZ interferometer. V ₇₀ -V ₇ ) are applied as the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator changes the voltage V ₇ when changing the phase difference adjustment bias voltage. The voltage V ₇₀ is fixed so that the voltage (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and the voltage (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) are always positive or negative within the control range of the voltage V _7. Value.

  One aspect of the present invention is the optical transmitter, wherein the semiconductor optical modulator is an IQ modulator, and two child MZ interferometers are arranged in each of two branches of the MZ interferometer. The drive signal and the bias voltage for adjusting the phase difference are applied to each of the two child MZ type interferometers, and the controller includes the two child MZ type interference arranged in the two branches. The drive signal bias voltage and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage applied to each meter are controlled.

One aspect of the present invention includes at least one MZ interferometer having two branches, a drive signal input electrode that is provided for each branch and to which a voltage that changes an optical phase of an optical signal propagating through the branch is applied. A semiconductor optical modulator having a phase difference adjusting bias electrode provided for each branch and applied with a voltage for adjusting an optical phase difference of an optical signal propagating through the branch; and a drive signal (± V _data ) applying a generation driving amplifier, and the drive signal for the bias voltage generator for generating a driving signal for the bias voltage V ₄ to be applied to the drive signal, the phase difference adjusting bias voltage of DC to the phase difference adjusting bias electrode A bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment, the drive amplifier, the bias voltage generator for drive signal, and the bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment are controlled and controlled. It has controller for performing astigmatism voltage automatic adjustment, the said voltage bias voltage the drive signal to the drive signal to the drive signal input electrode is applied _(V data + _{V 4)} and a voltage _(-V data _{+ V} 4) Are applied to the optical phase of the optical signal propagating through the branch, iφ (V _data + V ₄ ) and iφ (−V _data + V ₄ ). The controller sends a command to the drive signal bias voltage generator to generate a voltage V ₄₀ that is uniquely determined by the wavelength and signal format of the optical signal at the start-up of the optical transmitter. the drives the signal input electrode to a voltage applied to (± _{V data +} V ₄₀₎ always in a positive or negative value, the controller, the drive After allowed to apply the voltage to the signal input electrode _{(± V data + V 40)} , sweeping the voltage value of the phase difference adjusting bias voltage causes applied the phase difference adjusting bias voltage to the phase difference adjusting bias electrode When the controller determines that the phase difference adjustment bias voltage has become optimum while sweeping the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, the controller performs sweeping when the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is swept. The optical transmitter transmits a command to stop the phase difference to the bias voltage generator for adjusting the phase difference and terminates the processing at the time of starting the optical transmitter.

One aspect of the present invention, in the optical transmitter, the controller, at the time of start-up of the optical transmitter, prior to generating the drive signal for the bias voltage of the voltage V _40, and turns off the driving amplifier After generating the drive signal bias voltage of the voltage V ₄₀ , the drive amplifier is turned on.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to control various bias voltages of the semiconductor optical modulator to optimum values when the optical transmitter is started up or when a bias drift occurs.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the optical transmitter in 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure at the time of optical transmitter start-up of the ABC circuit with which the optical transmitter of 1st Embodiment is equipped. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the optical transmitter in 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the optical transmitter in 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure at the time of optical transmitter start-up of the ABC circuit with which the optical transmitter of 3rd Embodiment is equipped. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the optical transmitter in 4th Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure at the time of optical transmitter start-up of the ABC circuit with which the optical transmitter of 4th Embodiment is equipped. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the conventional optical transmitter.

  Hereinafter, an optical transmitter according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The optical transmitter in each embodiment is suitable when an IQ modulator that generates a QAM optical signal is configured by a semiconductor optical modulator. The optical transmitter in each embodiment is characterized by optimally controlling various bias voltages of the semiconductor optical modulator using dithering. In each of the embodiments described below, the same components as those of the optical transmitter illustrated in FIG. 8 or the components of the other embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an optical transmitter according to the first embodiment. The optical transmitter according to the first embodiment includes a semiconductor optical modulator for generating CS-RZ modulated light and an ABC circuit that controls the semiconductor optical modulator. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical transmitter includes a semiconductor optical modulator M, a drive amplifier 3, a drive signal bias voltage generator 4, a first bias T5a, a second bias T5b, and a phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator. Device 7, optical tap 104, photo detector 105, and controller 107. The ABC circuit includes a controller 107. Although the optical tap 104 and the photo detector 105 are installed outside the semiconductor modulator M in FIG. 1, a power monitor built in the semiconductor modulator may be used. The ABC circuit may include a drive signal bias voltage generator 4, a first bias T 5 a, a second bias T 5 b, and a phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7. The controller 107 adjusts each bias voltage by controlling the drive amplifier 3, the drive signal bias voltage generator 4, and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator 7.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure when the optical transmitter of the ABC circuit provided in the optical transmitter of the first embodiment is started. At the startup of the optical transmitter, the controller 107 turns off the drive amplifier 3 and suppresses the output amplitude of the drive amplifier 3 to 0 (step S101). This can be achieved by stopping the power supplied to the drive amplifier 3. Next, the controller 107 sends a command to the drive signal for the bias voltage generator 4, to set the bias voltage drive signal to the initial value _{V 40} (step S102). Here, the initial value V ₄₀ is the voltage (V _data + V ₄₀ ) of the modulator drive signal input to the first drive signal input electrode 6a and the second drive signal input electrode 6b in each process after step S103. Is set such that the voltage (−V _data + V ₄₀ ) of the modulator driving signal input to the signal is always a positive voltage or always a negative voltage. Whether the positive voltage or the negative voltage is selected is uniquely determined by the internal structure of the semiconductor optical modulator M.

Next, the controller 107 turns on the drive amplifier 3, and causes the drive amplifier 3 to generate a drive signal of ± V _data (step S103). In this embodiment, in order to generate CS-RZ modulated light, the output of the drive amplifier 3 is a binary NRZ (Non Return to Zero) signal, and the semiconductor optical modulator M must be biased to the null point. When correctly biased to the null point, the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator M is either the maximum value or the minimum value. Whether the optical power of the modulated light becomes the maximum value or the minimum value depends on the swing rate of the drive signal as described above. Set in order to avoid erroneous operation, as is the swing ratio matter what wavelength the wavelength of the CW light is less than 50% in step S103, reduce the absolute value of the initial value V ₄₀ of the bias voltage drive signal Either or both are performed by the controller 107, or the gain of the drive amplifier 3 is reduced. By setting the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment so that the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator M is set to the minimum value when the optical transmitter is started up in this way, The modulated light of the semiconductor light modulator M is correctly biased to the null point.

Next, the controller 107 sends a command to the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7 to output two types of DC phase difference adjusting bias voltages output from the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7 (V ₇₀ + _{V 7)} and is set to _(V 70 -V _7). Voltages (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) are applied to the first phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7 a and the second phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7 b, respectively. The value of V ₇₀ is a fixed value, the voltage value of the _{V 7} is swept by the controller 107 (step S104). At this time, the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator M is tapped by the optical tap 104 and input to the photo detector 105 serving as monitoring means. The photodetector 105 converts the input modulated light into an electric signal, and inputs the electric signal obtained by the conversion to the controller 107.

Controller 107, while sweeping the _{V 7,} determines whether or not the electric signal input from the photodetector 105 exhibits a minimum value (step S105). Controller 107, an electrical signal, the process returns to showing the minimum value to the step S104, to continue the sweep of _{V 7} (step S105: NO). Controller 107, the electrical signal indicates the minimum value (step S105: YES), stops the sweep of _{V 7.} The sweep range of V ₇ must be a range in which the phase difference adjusting bias voltages (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) are always positive voltages or always negative voltages. Whether or not to be determined is uniquely determined by the internal structure of the semiconductor optical modulator M. Step S105 is finished, when the sweep of V ₇ is completed, the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator M is biased to null point.

  In step S103, the drive amplifier 3 is turned on under the condition that the swing rate is less than 50%. However, during the operation of the optical transmitter, the swing rate of the semiconductor optical modulator M that generates CS-RZ modulated light is normally set to 100%. For this reason, the controller 107 sends a command to the drive amplifier 3, and changes the gain of the drive amplifier 3 to a gain in normal operation (step S106).

Next, the controller 107, the bias voltage for the drive signal is changed from an initial value _{V 40} to _{V 4,} to sweep the voltage value of _{V 4} (step S107). Here, if the characteristic of the first driving signal input electrodes 6a and the second driving signal input electrodes 6b are identical, at the moment when the driving signal _{V data} and _{-V data} becomes both the GND level, the semiconductor optical modulator The phase difference between the two CW lights propagating through the two branches of the device M is
{Iφ (V ₄ ) + iθ (V ₇₀ + V ₇ )} − {iφ (V ₄ ) + iθ (V ₇₀ −V ₇ )}
= Iθ (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) −iθ (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) Equation 7
, And the phase difference does not depend on V _4, the bias of the drive signal for the bias voltage V ₄ to a null point was achieved at the end of step S105 even if the sweep continues to be maintained. On the other hand, even if the amplitude of the drive signal V _data is constant, as described above, if the absolute value of the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ is increased, the swing rate increases.

The controller 107 determines whether or not the electric signal output from the photo detector 105 shows the maximum value while performing the sweep of the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ , that is, whether or not the optical power of the modulated light is maximized. (Step S108). Controller 107, optical power is the process returns to the maximum to step S107, and continues the sweeping of the drive signal for the bias voltage _{V 4} (step S108: NO). Controller 107, the optical power becomes maximum (step S108: YES), stops the sweep of the drive signal for the bias voltage _{V 4.} It should be noted that when the drive signal is a binary NRZ signal and the modulated light is biased to the null point, the optical power of the modulated light increases as the swing rate increases. This means that due to the periodicity of the MZ interferometer, when the swing rate exceeds 100%, the optical power of the modulated light turns from increasing to decreasing. Therefore, when step S108 is completed, the semiconductor optical modulator M is set to a swing rate of 100% or the maximum swing rate achievable by the drive amplifier 3. Here, the controller 107 ends the start-up process and shifts to normal operation.

Even during normal operation, bias drift can occur due to changes over time. Therefore, the controller 107, the process of adjusting the _{V 7} (step S110), repeated cyclically processing (step S111) for adjusting the drive signal for the bias voltage _{V 4.} At this time, the controller 107 includes an act of sending the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7 a command instructing the adjustment of V ₇ so as to maintain the V ₇ optimally, optimum drive signal for the bias voltage V ₄ The operation of sending a command for instructing the adjustment of the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ to the drive signal bias voltage generator 4 is performed alternately and periodically so as to maintain. It should be noted that since the swing rate exceeds 50% at the time when step S108 is completed, the adjustment of V ₇ during the normal operation period in step S110 does not minimize the optical power of the modulated light. This is a process of finely adjusting V ₇ so as to be maximum. On the other hand, adjustment of the driving signal for the bias voltage V ₄ during the normal operation period in Step S111, similarly to the processing in step S107, may be processed to maximize the optical power of the modulated light.

Here we describe Precautions for setting the V _70. As described above, the phase difference adjusting bias voltage _(V 70 + V ₇₎ and is _(V 70 -V _7), it is necessary to set the _{V 70} and _{V 7} always to be a positive voltage or always negative voltage . Whether the positive voltage or the negative voltage is selected as the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) is uniquely determined by the internal structure of the semiconductor optical modulator M. Determined. The optimum value of V ₇ varies depending on the change over time of the semiconductor optical modulator M or the wavelength change of the CW light source. By setting where a large absolute value of the initial value of V _70, it is possible to widen the sweep range of V _7. However, if the absolute value of V ₇₀ is increased, the optical loss of the semiconductor optical modulator M is increased. Therefore, considering the change in the optimum value of V ₇ with the change over time or the wavelength change of the CW light source up to the end of life of the semiconductor optical modulator M (end of life) using the optimum value of V ₇ still _(V 70 + V ₇₎ and _(V 70 -V ₇₎ is always a positive under the condition that becomes the voltage or a negative _voltage, it is kept as small as possible the absolute value of _{V 70} desirable.

As a variation of the first embodiment, the device configuration can be simplified by dropping the potential of either the first phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7a or the second phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7b to GND. However, when this configuration is adopted, the optical phase cannot be controlled by push-pull, so the required sweep range of V ₇ must be approximately doubled and the absolute value of V ₇₀ must be increased.

  As described above, according to the optical transmitter in the first embodiment, various bias voltages of the semiconductor optical modulator can be controlled to optimum values when the optical transmitter is started up or when a bias drift occurs. Become.

<Second Embodiment>
In the optical transmitter according to the second embodiment, various bias voltages are controlled so that the optical power of the modulated light is maximized or minimized as in the optical transmitter according to the first embodiment. Use a ring. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an optical transmitter according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the optical transmitter according to the second embodiment includes a semiconductor optical modulator M, a drive amplifier 3, a drive signal bias voltage generator 4, a first bias T5a, a second bias T5b, Phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7, dithering means 100, first dithering applying means 101, second dithering applying means 102, third dithering applying means 103, optical tap 104, photo detector 105, synchronization A detection circuit 106 and a controller 107 are included. The ABC circuit includes a drive signal bias voltage generator 4, a dithering unit 100, a first dithering application unit 101, a second dithering application unit 102, a third dithering application unit 103, a synchronous detection circuit 106, and A controller 107 is included. The optical tap 104 and the photo detector 105 are installed outside the semiconductor modulator M in FIG. 3, but a power monitor built in the semiconductor modulator may be used. Note that the ABC circuit may include a first bias T5a, a second bias T5b, and a phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7. The first dithering application unit 101, the second dithering application unit 102, and the third dithering application unit 103 are realized by using, for example, a bias tee. Further, the dithering means 100 is realized by using an oscillator capable of outputting a dither signal having a predetermined angular frequency, for example.

Also in the optical transmitter according to the second embodiment, two types of phase difference adjusting bias voltages output from the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7 are (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and the same as in the first embodiment. set _(V 70 -V _7), but finding the optimum value of _{V 7,} the controller 107 in this processing, sends a command to the dithering unit 100, the phase difference adjusting bias voltage _(V 70 + V ₇₎ and ( Dithering is performed on V ₇₀ -V ₇ ). The dithering frequency _{f dither} to the second through the dithering application means 102 phase difference adjusting bias voltage _(V 70 + V _7), it superimposes the dither signal of amplitude ± _{V dither,} third This is performed by superimposing a similar dither signal on the phase difference adjusting bias voltage (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) via the dithering applying means 103.

However, the dither signal to be superimposed by the second dithering application unit 102 and the dither signal to be superimposed by the third dithering application unit 103 have the same frequency, but the values are positive and negative (the phase difference is 180 degrees). ). Further, the dither signal amplitude 2V _dither is made sufficiently smaller than the V _data amplitude and the dither signal frequency f _dither is made sufficiently smaller than the data signal symbol rate so as not to affect the quality of the CS-RZ modulated light. . The voltage (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ± V _dither ) applied to the first phase difference adjustment bias electrode 7a and the voltage (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ±) applied to the second phase difference adjustment bias electrode 7b. V _dither) and is irrespective of the positive or negative sign, always sets the _{V dither} to be a positive voltage or always negative voltage. Note that whether a positive voltage or a negative voltage is selected is uniquely determined by the internal structure of the semiconductor optical modulator M.

The modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator M is tapped by the optical tap 104 and input to the photodetector 105. The photodetector 105 converts the input modulated light into an electrical signal and outputs the obtained electrical signal to the synchronous detection circuit 106. The synchronous detection circuit 106 synchronously detects the above-mentioned f _dither component from the electrical signal obtained by the photodetector 105. In synchronous detection, the synchronous detection circuit 106 uses the dither signal output from the dithering means 100 as a reference clock. The synchronous detection circuit 106 outputs the synchronous detection result to the controller 107. The controller 107 minimizes the optical power of the modulated light so that the synchronous detection result is 0 (zero), and during the optical transmitter start-up process, and maximizes the optical power of the modulated light during the normal operation period. Feedback is applied to the bias voltage generator 7 for phase difference adjustment so that V ₇ is output as follows.

The synchronous detection result is 0 when the optical power of the modulated light is maximum and minimum. To determine whether it is, when the synchronization detection result is near zero, whether the synchronization detection result is increased relative to the minute increase in V _7, or decreasing (hereinafter, for the "V ₇ It is possible to make a judgment based on “the positive or negative slope of the synchronous detection result”. And maximum and minimum optical power, correspondence between the positive and negative of the synchronous detection results inclination with respect to V ₇ is and the electrode structure of the first phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7a and the second phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7b, Since the polarity such as the polarity of the photodetector 105 can be reversed depending on the circuit configuration, which slope is used during the start-up operation period and the normal operation period is defined as an initial setting.

The drive signal for the bias voltage _{V 4} and the phase difference adjusting bias voltage _{(V 70} + V _7), the slope of the synchronous detection result of small changes in the _(V 70 -V ₇₎ is positive, and the synchronous detection result is 0 whether to stop the sweeping when, or drive signal bias voltage V ₄ and the phase difference adjusting bias voltage _{(V 70 +} V 7), with negative synchronous detection results inclination with respect to small changes in the _(V 70 _{-V 7)} There may also be provided a switch for switching which operation to stop the sweep when the synchronous detection result is 0. When the switch is provided, the controller 107 executes the operation selected by the switch.

In the present embodiment as well, the optimum value of the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ output from the drive signal bias voltage generator 4 is obtained as in the first embodiment. The controller 107 in this processing, sends a command to the dithering unit 100, and outputs a dither signal is superimposed to the driving signal for bias voltage V _4. The dither signal output from the dithering means 100 is superimposed on the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ by the first dithering applying means 101. The frequency of the dither signal is _{f dither,} amplitude of the dither signal is ± _{V dither.} The frequency of the dither signal is superimposed on the drive signal for the bias voltage V ₄ may be the same frequency as the frequency of the dither signal is superimposed on the bias voltage for adjusting the phase difference may be different frequencies. The voltage applied to the first drive signal input electrode 6a (V _data + V ₄ ± V _dither ) and the voltage applied to the second drive signal input electrode 6b (−V _data + V ₄ ± V _dither ) are _{represented by} the sign of V _dither V _dither is set so that it always becomes a positive voltage or always a negative voltage regardless of the positive or negative of. Whether to select a positive voltage or a negative voltage is uniquely determined by the internal structure of the semiconductor optical modulator M. The controller 107 provides feedback to the drive signal bias voltage generator 4 so as to output the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ so that the synchronous detection result is 0 (zero) and the optical power of the modulated light is maximized. Call. Again, the Choosing between positive and negative of the synchronous detection results inclined with respect to the drive signal for the bias voltage V _4, prior to the start-up operation, previously set as an initial setting.

  As described above, according to the optical transmitter in the second embodiment, various bias voltages of the semiconductor optical modulator are set to optimum values by using dithering when the optical transmitter is started up or when a bias drift is generated. It is possible to improve the accuracy of control.

<Variations of the first and second embodiments>
In the first and second embodiments, with the semiconductor optical modulator for generating CS-RZ modulated light in mind, the semiconductor optical modulator including one MZ interferometer is driven at a swing rate of 100%. An example is shown. If the swing rate is 50% (the drive amplitude is equal to the plate wavelength voltage Vπ), an NRZ modulation signal can be generated. However, in this case, it is necessary to change the phase difference adjusting bias voltages (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) between the null point and the maximum light emission, not the null point. As a result, the optical power of the modulated light is half of the maximum value, and the synchronous detection result is not 0, but is maximum or minimum. Since the maximum or minimum is determined by the phase of the reference clock of the synchronous detection circuit, it differs depending on the circuit implementation. The controller 107 may feed back the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator ₇ so as to output V ₇ that maximizes the absolute value of the synchronous detection result. Further, as a condition for stopping the sweep when adjusting the phase difference adjustment bias voltage by sweeping V ₇ , either when the synchronous detection result is 0 or when the synchronous detection result is the maximum or minimum. The controller 107 may be provided with a switch for switching whether to use.

<Third Embodiment>
In the first and second embodiments, with the semiconductor optical modulator for generating CS-RZ modulated light in mind, the semiconductor optical modulator including one MZ interferometer is driven at a swing rate of 100%. An example is shown. In contrast, the third embodiment shows a configuration that enables ABC in an optical transmitter in which an IQ modulator for generating a QAM optical signal is configured by a semiconductor optical modulator.

  The IQ modulator for generating a QAM optical signal is different from the optical modulator for generating CS-RZ modulated light in several points. First, in an IQ modulator for generating a QAM optical signal, MZ type interference for In-Phase and Quadrature-Phase for each of two branches of one MZ type interferometer (hereinafter referred to as parent MZI). The total (hereinafter referred to as child MZI) is included. A drive amplifier is required for each of these two child MZIs. Also, the modulated light output from these two child MZIs must be biased to the null point. In the parent MZI, the phase difference of the modulated light output from each child MZI must be set to ± π / 2, and a phase difference adjusting bias voltage is also required here. As a result, the parent MZI requires two types of drive signal bias voltages and three types of phase difference adjustment bias voltages. In addition, in a high-order multilevel QAM optical signal generating IQ modulator, the swing rate is often suppressed to about 40% instead of 100% in order to suppress nonlinearity of the optical modulator. Hereinafter, In-Phase is referred to as I-Phase. Also, Quadrature-Phase is referred to as Q-Phase.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an optical transmitter according to the third embodiment. The optical transmitter according to the third embodiment includes a semiconductor optical modulator Ma as a parent MZI, a drive amplifier 3a for I-Phase, a drive amplifier 3b for Q-Phase, a bias voltage generator 4 for drive signal, Bias T5a, second bias T5b, third bias T5c, fourth bias T5d, bias voltage generator 7aa for phase difference adjustment for I-Phase, and bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment for Q-Phase 7ab, optical tap 104, photo detector 105, synchronous detection circuit 106, controller 107, bias voltage generator 108 for phase difference adjustment for parent MZI, dithering means 100, first dithering applying means 203, for I-Phase Second dithering applying means 102a, I-Phase third dithering applying means 1 3a, a second dithering applying means 102b and Q-Phase third dithering application means 103b for for Q-Phase.

  The semiconductor optical modulator Ma includes an optical branching unit 200, an optical multiplexing unit 201, an I-Phase MZ interferometer 2a and a Q-Phase MZ interferometer 2b as child MZIs. Further, the semiconductor optical modulator Ma includes a first drive signal input electrode 6a for I-Phase, a second drive signal input electrode 6b for I-Phase, and a first phase difference adjustment bias for I-Phase. Electrode 7a, second phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7b for I-Phase, first drive signal input electrode 6c for Q-Phase, second drive signal input electrode 6d for Q-Phase, Q-Phase A first phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7c for Q-phase, a second phase difference adjusting bias electrode 7d for Q-Phase, and a phase difference adjusting bias electrode 8 for parent MZI. For the optical branching unit 200 and the optical multiplexing unit 201, for example, a polarization maintaining optical coupler may be used.

  The ABC circuit included in the optical transmitter according to the third embodiment includes a dithering unit 100, a synchronous detection circuit 106, a first dithering application unit 203, a second dithering application unit 102a, 102b, and a third dither. It includes ring applying means 103a and 103b and a controller 107. The optical tap 104 and the photodetector 105 are installed outside the semiconductor modulator Ma in FIG. 4, but may be replaced if there is a power monitor built in the semiconductor modulator. The ABC circuit may include a drive signal bias voltage generator 4, first to fourth biases T5a, 5b, 5c and 5d, and phase difference adjusting bias voltage generators 7aa and 7ab.

The CW light input to the optical transmitter is input to the semiconductor optical modulator Ma. Inside the semiconductor optical modulator Ma, the optical branching unit 200 splits the first and second CW lights into two. The first CW light is input to the M-Z interferometer 2a for I-Phase. The second CW light is input to the MZ type interferometer 2b for Q-Phase. The modulated light output from the MZ interferometer 2a has a light level of ± π / 2 by the phase difference adjustment bias voltage V ₁₀₈ applied through the parent MZI phase difference adjustment bias electrode 8. Add phase difference. The modulated light to which the optical phase difference of ± π / 2 is added is combined with the modulated light output from the MZ type interferometer 2b by the optical multiplexing means 201. The QAM optical signal obtained by combining the modulated light output from the MZ interferometer 2a and added with the optical phase difference of ± π / 2 and the modulated light output from the MZ interferometer 2b is a semiconductor Output from the optical modulator Ma.

In the optical transmitter, the drive amplifier 3a for I-Phase generates the drive signals V _{data_a} and -V _{data_a} by amplifying the input data signal a and differentially outputting it. The drive signals V _{data — a} and −V _data — a are superimposed with the drive signal bias voltage V _{4 at} the first bias _{T 5 a} and the second bias _{T 5 b,} and the first drive signal input electrode 6 a and I-Phase for I-Phase. This is applied to the I-Phase MZ interferometer 2a via the second drive signal input electrode 6b.

The drive amplifier 3b for Q-Phase generates the drive signals V _{data_b} and -V _{data_b} by amplifying the input data signal b and performing differential output. The drive signals V _{data — b} and −V _{data — b} are superimposed with the drive signal bias voltage V _{4 at} the third bias T 5 c and the fourth bias T 5 d, and the first drive signal input electrode 6 c and Q-Phase for Q-Phase are superimposed. This is applied to the Q-Phase MZ type interferometer 2b through the second drive signal input electrode 6d.

When the drive signals ± V _{data — a} and ± V _{data — b} are RF intensity modulation signals having an n value, the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator Ma is an n2 value QAM optical signal. A dither signal can be applied to the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ by the dithering means 100 and the first dithering application means 203.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure when the optical transmitter of the ABC circuit provided in the optical transmitter of the third embodiment is started. When the optical transmitter is started up, the controller 107 first turns off the drive amplifier 3a for I-Phase and the drive amplifier 3b for Q-Phase, and suppresses the amplitude of the output drive signal to 0 (step). S201). This can be achieved by stopping the power supplied to the drive amplifiers 3a and 3b. Next, the controller 107 sends a command to the drive signal for the bias voltage generator 4, sets the bias voltage for the drive signal of the drive signal for the bias voltage and Q-Phase for I-Phase to all initial value _{V 40} (Step S202). The condition of the initial value V ₄₀ is the same as in the first and second embodiments.

Next, the controller 107 turns on the drive amplifier 3a for I-Phase and the drive amplifier 3b for Q-Phase, and generates drive signals ± V _{data_a} and ± V _{data_b} (step S203). Here, the controller 107, so that even swing rate whatever the wavelength the wavelength of the CW light is 40% or less, the absolute value of the initial value V ₄₀ of the bias voltage drive signal, for I-Phase The gains of the drive amplifier 3a and the Q-phase drive amplifier 3b are set. In the optical transmitter of the third embodiment, in consideration of multi-level QAM, the swing rate is 40% or less even during normal operation, so that the drive amplifier 3a for I-Phase and the drive amplifier for Q-Phase are used. The gain with 3b may be the same gain during startup and during normal operation.

Next, the controller 107 adjusts the three types of phase difference adjustment bias voltages to the optimum values using asymmetric bias dithering, which is a technique described in Non-Patent Document 2 (step S204). Specifically, the controller 107 first sends a command to the dithering means 100 to output two kinds of voltages (V ₇₀ + V _7aa ) and (V) output from the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7aa for I-Phase. ₇₀ to -V _7aa), via a third dithering applying means 103a of the second dithering application means for 102a and I-Phase for I-Phase, frequency _{f dither} and amplitude ± _{V dither} dither Add dithering to superimpose the signal. Here, the dither signal superimposed by the second dithering application means 102a for I-Phase and the dither signal superimposed by the third dithering application means 103a for I-Phase have the same frequency. Yes, but positive and negative are set to be opposite. The synchronous detection circuit 106 synchronously detects a component that is an integral multiple of the frequency f _dither from the electrical signal obtained by the photodetector 105. The synchronous detection circuit 106, when performing synchronous detection, to acquire a reference clock of a frequency _{f dither} from dither unit 100. The synchronous detection circuit 106 outputs the synchronous detection result to the controller 107. The controller 107 applies feedback to the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7aa for I-Phase so as to output V _7aa so that the synchronous detection result becomes 0 and the optical power of the modulated light is minimized. . For example, the controller 107 causes the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator _7aa to sweep V _7aa , and stops the sweep by the determination based on the synchronous detection result and the slope of the synchronous detection result with respect to the minute change of V _7aa . The bias voltages for phase difference adjustment (V ₇₀ + V _7aa ) and (V ₇₀ −V _7aa ) are adjusted to the optimum values.

Next, the controller 107 sends a command to the dithering means 100 to output two types of voltages (V ₇₀ + V _7ab ) and (V ₇₀ −V) output from the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7ab for Q-Phase. to _7ab), via a second dithering applying means 102b and Q-Phase third dithering application means 103b for for Q-Phase, superimposes a dither signal having a frequency _{f dither} and amplitude ± _{V dither} Add dithering. Here, the dither signal superimposed by the second dithering application unit 102b for Q-Phase and the dither signal superimposed by the third dithering application unit 103b for Q-Phase have the same frequency. Yes, but positive and negative are set to be opposite. The synchronous detection circuit 106 synchronously detects a component that is an integral multiple of the frequency f _dither from the electrical signal obtained by the photodetector 105. Synchronous detecting circuit 106, when performing synchronous detection, to acquire a reference clock of a frequency _{f dither} from dither unit 100. The synchronous detection circuit 106 outputs the synchronous detection result to the controller 107. The controller 107 _{feeds back} to the Q-Phase phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7ab so that the synchronous detection result is 0 and / or V _7ab is output so that the optical power of the modulated light is minimized. multiply. For example, the controller 107 causes the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator _7ab to sweep V _7ab , and the phase difference adjusting bias voltage (V _{70) is} determined based on the synchronous detection result and the slope of the synchronous detection result with respect to a minute change in V _7aa. + V _7ab ) and (V ₇₀ −V _7ab ) are adjusted to optimum values.

Next, the controller 107 sends a command to the dithering means 100 and is output from the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7aa for I-Phase and the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator 7ab for Q-Phase 4 Dithering is applied to the types of voltages (V ₇₀ ± V _7aa ) and (V ₇₀ ± V _7ab ). This dithering is performed via the second dithering application means 102a and 102b and the third dithering application means 103a and 103b, as described above. The dither signal to be superimposed is a signal having a frequency f _dither and a swing width ± V _dither . The dither signal superimposed by the second dithering application unit 102a for I-Phase and the dither signal superimposed by the third dithering application unit 103a for I-Phase have the same frequency. , Are set so that positive and negative are opposite. The dither signal superimposed by the second dithering application unit 102b for Q-Phase and the dither signal superimposed by the third dithering application unit 103b for Q-Phase have the same frequency. , Are set so that positive and negative are opposite. Further, the dither signal on the I-Phase side and the dither signal on the Q-Phase side are set, for example, as cos (± 2πfd × t) and sin (± 2πfd × t) so that the phases are orthogonal to each other. .

The synchronous detection circuit 106 synchronously detects a component that is an even multiple of the frequency f _dither from the electrical signal obtained by the photodetector 105. Synchronous detecting circuit 106, when performing synchronous detection, to acquire a reference clock of a frequency _{f dither} from dither unit 100. The synchronous detection circuit 106 outputs the synchronous detection result to the controller 107. The controller 107 sends a command to the parent MZI phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator ₁₀₈ to change the parent MZI phase difference adjusting bias voltage V ₁₀₈ so that the synchronous detection result approaches zero. The parent MZI phase difference adjustment bias voltage V ₁₀₈ is applied to the parent MZI phase difference adjustment bias electrode 8, whereby the light of the modulated light output from the I-Phase MZ interferometer 2 a. Change the phase. That is, the parent MZI phase difference adjustment bias voltage _V108 is obtained by modulating the modulated light output from the I-Phase MZ interferometer 2a and the modulated light output from the Q-Phase MZ interferometer 2b. The optical phase difference between the two is changed. When the result of synchronous detection by the synchronous detection circuit 106 becomes 0 (zero), the optical phase difference becomes an optimum value ± π / 2 (see Non-Patent Document 2). For example, the controller 107 causes the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator ₁₀₈ to sweep the phase difference adjustment bias voltage V _108, and sweeps based on the synchronous detection result and the slope of the synchronous detection result with respect to a minute change in V _108. By stopping, the phase difference adjusting bias voltage V ₁₀₈ is adjusted to an optimum value.

As described above, the controller 107 adjusts the three types of phase difference adjustment bias voltages to optimum values. Next, the controller 107 adjusts drive signals for the bias voltage _{V 4} is applied to the drive signal output from the driver amplifier 3b for driving amplifiers 3a and Q-Phase for I-Phase (step S205, step S206 ). The operation in step S205 is the same as that in step S107 in FIG. 2, and the operation in step S206 is the same as that in step S108 in FIG. 2, but in order to monitor the fluctuation of the optical power of the modulated light in step S206. , controller 107 sends a command to the dithering unit 100, applies a dither signal having a frequency _{f dither} the drive signal for the bias voltage _{V 4} by the first dithering applying unit 203. The synchronous detection circuit 106 synchronously detects a component that is an integral multiple of the frequency f _dither from the electrical signal obtained by the photodetector 105. Synchronous detecting circuit 106, when performing synchronization detection, and acquires the reference clock frequency _{f dither} from dither unit 100. The synchronous detection circuit 106 outputs the synchronous detection result to the controller 107. The controller 107 determines whether or not the optical power of the modulated light has increased from the synchronous detection result. Since the gain of the drive amplifiers 3a and 3b is limited in step S203, the swing rate does not exceed 40%, but the maximum swing rate possible with the gain of the drive amplifiers 3a and 3b at the end of step S206. Set to Here, the process at the start-up ends, and the process proceeds to the process at the normal operation (step S207). Controller 107, reprocessing to keep the three phase difference adjusting bias voltage to the optimum value by an asymmetrical bias dithering described above (step S208), the process of adjusting the driving signal for the bias voltage V ₄ and (step S209) Repeat on click. At this time, the controller 107 sends a phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator 7aa, 7ab and a phase difference adjustment bias voltage for the parent MZI to instruct adjustment to keep V _7aa , V _7ab , V ₁₀₈ optimal. The operation of sending to the generator 108 and the operation of sending a command to the drive signal bias voltage generator 4 to instruct the adjustment so as to keep the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ optimal are performed alternately and periodically. .

  As described above, according to the optical transmitter in the third embodiment, various bias voltages of the semiconductor optical modulator for generating a QAM optical signal are set to optimum values when the optical transmitter is started up or when a bias drift occurs. It becomes possible to control.

<Fourth Embodiment>
It should be noted when generating the multi-level QAM optical signal that the drive signal output from the drive amplifier 3a and the drive amplifier 3b is not necessarily a simple binary NRZ signal. The relationship is not obvious. In the optical transmitter of the first and second embodiments, since the drive signal is a binary NRZ signal, a drive signal for the bias voltage V ₄ Repeat operation from step S107 in the operation procedure shown in FIG. 2 to step S108 A full swing can be realized by adjusting. However, when a QAM signal having a multi-value larger than four values or a QAM signal combined with a Nyquist filter is used as a drive signal, the outputs of the drive amplifier 3a and the drive amplifier 3b have a multi-value greater than binary. Or the waveform of the drive signal becomes a complicated waveform.

  In the optical transmitter according to the third embodiment, the amount of swing is limited to the extent that the nonlinearity between the drive voltage and the output light of the semiconductor optical modulator Ma cannot be seen by the operation in step S203 of the operation procedure shown in FIG. It was. However, even when the swing amount is fixed to a desired value and the semiconductor optical modulator Ma is changed over time in the end-of-life operation or the optical characteristics of the semiconductor optical modulator Ma are changed when the carrier wavelength is changed. If it is desired to keep the swing amount constant, a new procedure is required. In the fourth embodiment, an optical transmitter in which a multi-level QAM optical signal generation IQ modulator is configured by a semiconductor optical modulator is configured to enable ABC under a condition in which the swing amount is always kept constant. .

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an optical transmitter according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the optical transmitter according to the fourth embodiment includes a semiconductor optical modulator Ma, a drive amplifier 3a for I-Phase, a drive amplifier 3b for Q-Phase, and a bias voltage generator 4 for drive signal. , First bias T5a, second bias T5b, third bias T5c, fourth bias T5d, phase voltage adjusting bias voltage generator 7aa for I-Phase, phase difference adjusting bias for Q-Phase Voltage generator 7ab, optical tap 104, photodetector 105, synchronous detection circuit 106, controller 107, bias voltage generator 108 for phase difference adjustment for parent MZI, dithering means 100, first dithering applying means 203, I -Phase second dithering applying means 102a, I-Phase third dithering applying means 1 3a, a second dithering applying means 102b and Q-Phase third dithering application means 103b for for Q-Phase. Note that among the components in the optical transmitter of the fourth embodiment, the same components as those in the optical transmitter of the third embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. The optical transmitter in the fourth embodiment is configured such that the controller 107 can directly monitor the output of the photodetector 105 without going through the synchronous detection circuit 106. Is different. Further, the controller 107 in the fourth embodiment has a slightly different function from the controller 107 in the third embodiment, as will be described later.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure when the optical transmitter of the ABC circuit provided in the optical transmitter of the fourth embodiment is started. In the flowchart shown in FIG. 7, the operation from step S301 to step S304 is the same as the operation from step S201 to step S204 shown in FIG. 5 of the third embodiment.

Here, after the operation of step S204 is finished, consider what optical power of the modulated light when changing the driving signal for the bias voltage V ₄ is how to change. Step S204 At the end, the bias voltage V ₄ other bias drive signal is kept at the optimum value, the output light of the semiconductor optical modulator Ma make ideal constellation. If the optical waveguide structure of the semiconductor optical modulator Ma is completely symmetrical, the optical phase delay applied to the optical waveguide by the first to fourth drive signal input electrodes 6a to 6d is the same amount. be varied voltage V _4, the output light of the semiconductor optical modulator Ma maintains an ideal constellation. However, the swing amount for half-wavelength voltage Vπ is reduced by a change in the drive signal for the bias voltage V ₄ begins to increase. Along with this, the power of the modulated light starts to increase.

When the swing amount becomes larger than 100% and nonlinear optical effects such as the quantum confined Stark effect start to occur, the optical power starts to decrease. However, when multi-level QAM or a Nyquist filter is used, the optical power is not necessarily maximized when the swing amount is 100%, and the optical power may be maximized when the swing amount is greater than 100%. If the swing amount is in the range of 0 to less than 100%, the optical power of the output light of the semiconductor optical modulator Ma can be regarded as monotonically increasing as the absolute value of the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ increases. Therefore, if the power of CW light is constant and after step S204 is completed, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the swing amount and the optical power of the modulated light. The correspondence depends on parameters of the signal format to be generated (multi-value number, Nyquist filter roll-off coefficient, etc.). Since the swing amount depends on Vπ and Vπ depends on the wavelength, the swing amount depends on the wavelength, but the correspondence between the swing amount and the optical power of the modulated light does not depend on the wavelength.

In the fourth embodiment, it is assumed that the optical power of the CW light is constant, and the controller 107 stores the optical power that will be obtained in the signal format and the target swing amount as a target value in advance. In step S305~ step S306 shown in FIG. 7, until the monitor light power reaches the target value described above, the controller 107, a sweep of increasing the driving signal for the bias voltage V ₄ to the drive signal for the bias voltage generator 4 Let it be done. The controller 107 may include a data table that stores the correspondence between the combination of the wavelength of the CW light and the signal format and the target value of the optical power. When the controller 107 includes a data table, the controller 107 reads the optical power target value corresponding to the combination of the wavelength of the CW light and the signal format from the data table, and performs the operation of step S306 using the read target value. . Further, the controller 107 may store an approximate expression representing the correspondence relation instead of storing the correspondence relation and providing the data table, and calculate the target value using the approximate expression.

The operations in steps S307 to S308 are the same as the operations in steps S207 to S208 in FIG. 5 in the third embodiment. In step S309, the case where the monitored optical power becomes a value different significantly from the target value described above, the controller 107 corrects the drive signal for the bias voltage V _4. That is, the controller 107 causes the drive signal bias voltage generator 4 to perform fine adjustment to increase the absolute value of V ₄ when the optical power is lower than the target value and to decrease the absolute value of V ₄ when the optical power is lower.

In the above operation procedure described, step S305~ step S306, the over dithering the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ at step S309 Orazu, is not being used the synchronous detection circuit 106. However, supplementarily applying a dithering drive signal bias voltage V _4, the controller 107 may also refer to synchronous detection results. In general, since the optical power does not become an extreme value at the target swing amount, the synchronous detection result does not become zero at the target swing amount. For this reason, only in steps S305 to S306 and S309, the offset value recorded in advance in the controller 107 is added to the synchronous detection result, and the drive signal bias voltage is set so that the sum of the synchronous detection result and the offset value becomes zero. V ₄ may be controlled.

Note that the target value used in step S306 and step S309 may be defined as a numerical range including the target value. In this case, the controller 107, when it contains optical power in the numerical range defined, it is considered that the optical power is substantially equal to the target value, the drive signal bias voltage V ₄ may be determined that produces the optimal . The numerical range including the target value is determined based on, for example, the accuracy of the photo detector 105 and the accuracy of the synchronous detection circuit 106.

  In the third and fourth embodiments, the description has been made assuming that the photodetector 105 functions ideally. However, in a semiconductor optical modulator having a complicated configuration as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the photodetector 105 may cause an error. Hereinafter, this error will be described. Since the MZ type interferometer has periodicity with respect to the bias voltage, any one of the bias voltages applied to the first phase difference adjusting bias electrode or the second phase difference adjusting bias electrodes 7a to 7d is monotonously increased. As a result, the optical power of the output light from the semiconductor optical modulator periodically increases and decreases. In accordance with this, the output of the photodetector 105 also increases or decreases, but there are cases where the bias voltage at which the optical power of the output light takes an extreme value and the bias voltage at which the output of the photodetector 105 takes an extreme value are slightly different. If this error is so large that it cannot be ignored, if control is performed so that the synchronous detection result becomes 0 in step S304 or step S308, the bias voltage converges to a non-optimal bias voltage. To prevent this, in step S304 or step 308, the error correction offset value recorded in advance in the controller 107 is added to the synchronous detection result, and the sum of the error correction offset value and the synchronous detection result is 0. Each bias voltage may be controlled so that The error correction offset value may be changed to a value in a positive / negative range including 0 by setting from the controller 107 or the outside.

  Further, the error correction is performed on the synchronous detection result or the synchronous detection result under the condition for determining the stop of the sweep in the adjustment of the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment in step S204 in the third embodiment and step S304 in the fourth embodiment. A case has been described in which both the value to which the offset value is added and the optical power of the modulated light are used. However, only one of the synchronous detection result and the optical power of the modulated light may be used as the condition for determining the stop of the sweep. In addition, the controller 107 may be provided with a switch for selecting which one is used as a condition for determining the stop of the sweep.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the configuration in which the MZ interferometer is biased to the null point is shown with the generation of the CS-RZ modulated optical signal or the QAM optical signal in mind. However, in a modulation format such as NRZ (Non Return to Zero), it is necessary to bias not between the null point but between the null point and the maximum light emission point. In such a case, V ₇ may be adjusted so that the optical power of the modulated light is half of the maximum value. At this time, the controller 107 applies feedback to the phase difference adjusting bias voltage generators ₇ , ₇ aa, 7 ab so as to output V ₇ such that the synchronous detection result is not 0 (zero) but becomes the maximum value. Thereby, even when NRZ modulation is used, various bias voltages of the semiconductor optical modulator can be controlled to optimum values.

In the first to fourth embodiments, it is assumed that the characteristics of the first drive signal input electrode 6a and the second drive signal input electrode 6b are the same, and the optical phase of the two branches with respect to the voltage is It has been described that both changes can be expressed by a function iφ (v). However, in an actual semiconductor optical modulator, variations in the optical phase occurring in each branch of the MZ type interferometer may occur due to circuit imperfections. This variation is represented by iφ (v) and iφ ′ (v). At this time, since iφ (V ₄ ) ≠ iφ ′ (V ₄ ), a simple equation such as Equation 1 cannot be obtained, and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage (V ₇₀ ± V ₇ ) is optimally adjusted. also, an error occurs in the optical phase difference in the course of adjusting the drive signal for the bias voltage V ₄ performed thereafter, the phase difference adjusting bias is sometimes no longer optimum. In order to avoid this, a drive signal bias voltage generator 4 is prepared for each branch of the MZ interferometer to generate drive signal bias voltages V ₄ and V ′ ₄ , respectively, and when V _data = 0. The positive phase drive signal bias voltage V ₄ and the negative phase drive signal bias voltage V ′ ₄ are set so that equal phase changes iφ (V ₄ ) = iφ ′ (V ′ ₄ ) occur in each branch. do it. As a result, even when the characteristics of the first drive signal input electrode 6a and the second drive signal input electrode 6b are not the same, the various bias voltages of the semiconductor optical modulator can be controlled to optimum values.

  In the first to fourth embodiments, the drive signal bias voltage is applied in advance before turning on the drive amplifiers 3, 3 a, 3 b in the processing in step S 102 or step S 202. This is a measure for avoiding a voltage having a sign opposite to that applied during normal operation from being applied to the first drive signal input electrode 6a and the second drive signal input electrode 6b. If no failure or the like occurs in the semiconductor optical modulator even if a voltage with the opposite sign is applied to these electrodes, the processing of step S102 and step S202 is omitted, and the drive amplifiers 3, 3a, 3b are always on. It is also possible to perform ABC.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the initial value V ₄₀ is given to the drive signal bias voltage before the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is optimized (step S102, step S202, step S302). After optimizing the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment, the bias voltage for drive signal is optimized (step S107, step S205, step S305). However, when the drift of the bias voltage for the driving signal is relatively small and the manufacturing error of the semiconductor optical modulator is expected to be sufficiently small, the wavelength and the signal format are different even if the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment is not optimal. If known, the optimum value of the drive signal bias voltage may be estimated to some extent. In such a case, the initial value V ₄₀ is set to a value assumed as the optimum value of the drive signal bias voltage from the beginning, and the drive signal bias voltage optimization process (steps S107, S205, step S305) may be omitted.

Further, in the first to fourth embodiments, the controller 107, includes a combination of wavelength and signal format of the CW light, the initial value table bias voltage drive signal storing a correspondence relationship between the initial value V ₄₀ Also good. When the controller 107 includes the initial value table, the controller 107 determines the wavelength and signal format of the CW light used in the optical transmitter in the operation (step S102, step S202, step S302) at the time of starting the optical transmitter. The initial value V ₄₀ uniquely determined by the combination may be acquired from the initial value table, and a command for generating the voltage of the initial value V ₄₀ may be sent to the drive signal bias voltage generator 4.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes designs and the like that do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

  It can also be applied to applications where it is essential to control various bias voltages of the semiconductor optical modulator to optimum values when the optical transmitter is started up or when a bias drift occurs.

  M, Ma: Semiconductor optical modulator, 2, 2a, 2b ... MZ type interferometer, 3, 3a, 3b ... Drive amplifier, 4 ... Drive signal bias voltage generator, 5a ... First bias T, 5b ... First 2 bias T, 5c ... 3rd bias T, 5d ... 4th bias T, 6a, 6c ... 1st drive signal input electrode, 6b, 6d ... 2nd drive signal input electrode, 7, 7aa, 7ab ... Phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator, 7a, 7c... First phase difference adjusting bias electrode, 7b, 7d... Second phase difference adjusting bias electrode, 8... Phase difference adjusting bias electrode for parent MZI , 100 ... dithering means, 101 ... first dithering application means, 102, 102a, 102b ... second dithering application means, 103, 103a, 103b ... third dithering application means, 104 ... optical tap DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 105 ... Photo detector, 106 ... Synchronous detection circuit, 107 ... Controller, 108 ... Bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment for parent MZI, 200 ... Optical branching means, 201 ... Optical multiplexing means, 203 ... First dithering application means

Claims (16)

At least one MZ-type interferometer having two branches;
A drive signal input electrode provided for each branch to which a voltage for changing an optical phase of an optical signal propagating through the branch is applied;
A bias electrode for phase difference adjustment provided for each branch to which a voltage for adjusting an optical phase difference of an optical signal propagating through the branch is applied;
A semiconductor optical modulator comprising:
A drive amplifier for generating a drive signal (± V _data );
A drive signal for the bias voltage generator for generating a drive signal for the bias voltage V ₄ to be applied to the drive signal,
A phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator for applying a DC phase difference adjustment bias voltage to the phase difference adjustment bias electrode;
A controller that controls the drive amplifier, the drive signal bias voltage generator, and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator to automatically adjust the bias voltage;
Have
A voltage (V _data + V ₄ ) obtained by applying the drive signal bias voltage to the drive signal and a voltage (−V _data + V ₄ ) are applied to the drive signal input electrode, and the optical phase changes with respect to the applied voltage v. Iφ (v), iφ (V _data + V ₄ ) and iφ (−V _data + V ₄ ) change in the optical phase of the optical signal propagating through the branch,
Wherein the controller, at the time of startup of the optical transmitter, sends a command to the drive signal for the bias voltage generator to generate a voltage V ₄₀ a predetermined initial value of the bias voltage for the drive signal, the drive The voltage (± V _data + V ₄₀ ) applied to the signal input electrode is always set to a positive or negative value,
The controller applies the voltage (± V _data + V ₄₀ ) to the drive signal input electrode, and then applies the phase difference adjustment bias voltage to the phase difference adjustment bias electrode and the phase difference adjustment bias. A command for sweeping the voltage value of the voltage is sent to the bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment,
When the controller determines that the phase difference adjustment bias voltage has been optimized while sweeping the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, the controller sends a command to stop the sweep to the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator. Send,
The controller, after stopping the sweep of the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, sends a command to sweep the drive signal bias voltage to the drive signal bias voltage generator,
When the controller sweeps the drive signal bias voltage and determines that the drive signal bias voltage is optimal, the controller sends a command to stop the sweep to the drive signal bias voltage generator, End processing at transmitter startup,
Optical transmitter. Wherein the controller, at the time of start-up of the optical transmitter, prior to generating the drive signal for the bias voltage of the voltage V _40, to turn off the driving amplifier, generates the driving signal for the bias voltage of the voltage V ₄₀ After turning on the drive amplifier,
The optical transmitter according to claim 1. The controller is configured to adjust the phase difference adjustment bias when the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator becomes a maximum value, a minimum value, or a half of the maximum value when the optical transmitter is started up. Judge that the voltage is optimal,
When the optical transmitter starts up, when the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator becomes the maximum value, the minimum value, or half of the maximum value, the drive signal bias voltage Is determined to be optimal,
Which of the maximum value, minimum value, or half of the maximum value is used in the determination by the controller is determined in advance.
The optical transmitter according to claim 1. When the controller biases the MZ interferometer to a null point, the drive signal bias voltage is optimized when the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator reaches a maximum value. Judge that
The optical transmitter according to claim 3. When the voltage amplitude (2V _data amplitude) of the driving signal with respect to twice the half-wave voltage of the semiconductor optical modulator is defined as a swing rate, the controller is configured to adjust the phase difference when the optical transmitter is started up. The gain of the drive amplifier is reduced or the drive signal is used so that the swing rate is less than 50% regardless of the wavelength of continuous light input to the semiconductor optical modulator during the period of sweeping the bias voltage. Set the voltage V ₄₀ of the bias voltage,
The controller changes the gain of the drive amplifier to the gain during normal operation of the optical transmitter after finishing the processing at the time of starting up the optical transmitter.
The optical transmitter according to any one of claims 1 to 4. And dithering means for applying a dithering frequency f _dither the bias voltage and the phase difference adjusting bias voltage the drive signal,
Monitoring means for monitoring the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator;
Synchronous detection means for synchronously detecting a component that is an integral multiple of the frequency f _dither from the optical power of the modulated light monitored by the monitoring means;
Further comprising
The controller sends a command for adding dithering to the phase difference adjustment bias voltage to the dithering means during a period of sweeping the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, and the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means is 0 or when the absolute value of the synchronous detection result is maximum, it is determined that the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment is optimum, and the sweep of the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment is stopped,
The controller sends a command for adding dithering to the drive signal bias voltage to the dithering means during a period of sweeping the drive signal bias voltage, and the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means is 0 or When the absolute value of the synchronous detection result is the maximum, it is determined that the drive signal bias voltage is optimal, and the sweep of the drive signal bias voltage is stopped.
In the determination by the controller, it is predetermined whether the synchronous detection result is 0 or the absolute value of the synchronous detection result is the maximum,
The optical transmitter according to claim 1. If the controller stops the sweep when the synchronous detection result is 0,
Whether the slope of the synchronous detection result with respect to a minute change in the drive signal bias voltage and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is positive and the synchronous detection result is 0, or the sweep is stopped, or the drive signal bias voltage Whether the slope of the synchronous detection result with respect to a minute change in the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment is negative and the sweep is stopped when the synchronous detection result is 0 is determined in advance.
The optical transmitter according to claim 6. When the synchronous detection result is 0, the controller stops the sweep,
Whether the slope of the synchronous detection result with respect to a minute change in the drive signal bias voltage and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is positive and the synchronous detection result is 0, or the sweep is stopped, or the drive signal bias voltage And a switch that makes it possible to select whether the slope of the synchronous detection result with respect to a minute change in the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment is negative and to stop the sweep when the synchronous detection result is 0,
The optical transmitter according to claim 6. The drive signal input electrode corresponding to each branch of the MZ interferometer is a differential input type in which a drive signal with an inverted sign is input, and the drive is performed in the positive phase and the reverse phase applied to the drive signal input electrode If the magnitude of the change in optical phase at each branch of the MZ interferometer with respect to the signal is different,
The drive signal bias voltage generator generates a positive phase drive signal bias voltage and a reverse phase drive signal bias voltage;
The magnitude of the change in the optical phase caused by the bias signal for the positive phase drive signal and the magnitude of the change in the optical phase caused by the bias voltage for the negative phase drive signal are equal to each other. A drive signal bias voltage and a reverse-phase drive signal bias voltage are determined.
The optical transmitter according to claim 1. The controller determines that the drive signal bias voltage is optimal when adjusting the drive signal bias voltage when the optical power of the modulated light substantially matches a predetermined target value of the optical power;
The optical transmitter according to claim 1. In the controller, three types of relations between the target value of the optical power, the optical wavelength, and the signal format are stored in advance as a data table or an approximate expression,
The controller predetermines a target value of the optical power using the data table or the approximate expression before adjusting the drive signal bias voltage.
The optical transmitter according to claim 10. And dithering means for applying a dithering frequency f _dither on at least one of the drive signal for the bias voltage or the phase difference adjusting bias voltage,
Monitoring means for monitoring the optical power of the modulated light output from the semiconductor optical modulator;
Synchronous detection means for synchronously detecting a component that is an integral multiple of the frequency f _dither from the optical power of the modulated light monitored by the monitoring means;
Further comprising
The controller sends a command for adding dithering to the phase difference adjustment bias voltage to the dithering means during a period of sweeping the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, and the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means When the value obtained by adding a predetermined error correction offset value is 0 or the absolute value of the synchronous detection result is the maximum, it is determined that the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is optimum, and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage is Stop the sweep,
The controller sends a command for applying dithering to the drive signal bias voltage to the dithering means during a period of sweeping the drive signal bias voltage, and sets the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means in advance. When the value obtained by adding the offset value for error correction is 0 or the absolute value of the synchronous detection result is the maximum, it is determined that the drive signal bias voltage is optimum, and the sweep of the drive signal bias voltage is stopped. ,
In the determination to stop the sweep by the controller, whether the value obtained by adding the error correction offset value to the synchronous detection result by the synchronous detection means is 0 or the maximum absolute value of the synchronous detection result can be changed by a switch. And
The error correction offset value can be changed to a value in a positive / negative range including 0 by a setting change by the controller.
The optical transmitter according to claim 1. The bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment applies two kinds of voltages, voltage (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and voltage (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ), to each of the two branches of the MZ interferometer. Applied as a bias voltage for phase difference adjustment,
The phase difference adjusting bias voltage generator, in order to change the phase difference adjusting bias voltage, by changing only the voltage V _7,
The value of the voltage V ₇₀ is a fixed value in which the values of the voltage (V ₇₀ + V ₇ ) and the voltage (V ₇₀ −V ₇ ) are always positive or negative within the control range of the voltage V ₇ .
The optical transmitter according to claim 1. The semiconductor optical modulator is an IQ modulator, and two child MZ interferometers are arranged in each of two branches of the MZ interferometer,
The drive signal and the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment are applied to each of the two child MZ interferometers,
The controller controls the bias voltage for driving signal and the bias voltage for phase difference adjustment applied to each of the two child MZ interferometers arranged for each of the two branches.
The optical transmitter according to claim 1. At least one MZ-type interferometer having two branches;
A drive signal input electrode provided for each branch to which a voltage for changing an optical phase of an optical signal propagating through the branch is applied;
A bias electrode for phase difference adjustment provided for each branch to which a voltage for adjusting an optical phase difference of an optical signal propagating through the branch is applied;
A semiconductor optical modulator comprising:
A drive amplifier for generating a drive signal (± V _data );
A drive signal for the bias voltage generator for generating a drive signal for the bias voltage V ₄ to be applied to the drive signal,
A phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator for applying a DC phase difference adjustment bias voltage to the phase difference adjustment bias electrode;
A controller that controls the drive amplifier, the drive signal bias voltage generator, and the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator to automatically adjust the bias voltage;
Have
A voltage (V _data + V ₄ ) obtained by applying the drive signal bias voltage to the drive signal and a voltage (−V _data + V ₄ ) are applied to the drive signal input electrode, and the optical phase changes with respect to the applied voltage v. Iφ (v), iφ (V _data + V ₄ ) and iφ (−V _data + V ₄ ) change in the optical phase of the optical signal propagating through the branch,
The controller sends a command to the drive signal bias voltage generator so as to generate a voltage V ₄₀ uniquely determined by the wavelength and signal format of the optical signal when the optical transmitter is started up, and the drive signal input The voltage applied to the electrode (± V _data + V ₄₀ ) is always positive or negative,
The controller applies the voltage (± V _data + V ₄₀ ) to the drive signal input electrode, and then applies the phase difference adjustment bias voltage to the phase difference adjustment bias electrode and the phase difference adjustment bias. A command for sweeping the voltage value of the voltage is sent to the bias voltage generator for phase difference adjustment,
When the controller determines that the phase difference adjustment bias voltage has been optimized while sweeping the phase difference adjustment bias voltage, the controller sends a command to stop the sweep to the phase difference adjustment bias voltage generator. Send and finish the process at the start-up of the optical transmitter,
Optical transmitter. Wherein the controller, at the time of start-up of the optical transmitter, prior to generating the drive signal for the bias voltage of the voltage V _40, to turn off the driving amplifier, generates the driving signal for the bias voltage of the voltage V ₄₀ After turning on the drive amplifier,
The optical transmitter according to claim 15.

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