A digital optical source typically includes a source of laser light that is modulated to generate optical pulse trains representing digital information. Two general approaches typically are used to intensity modulate laser light in a digital optical source: direct modulation and external modulation.
In a direct modulation approach, a laser (e.g., a laser diode) is directly modulated by an information signal to generate a modulated laser output. The laser output power often is modulated directly by modulating the input drive current to the laser. The laser begins lasing when the drive current exceeds a threshold current level. Typically, the modulation range of input drive current that is applied to a directly modulated laser extends above and below the threshold current level.
In an external modulation approach, a modulator modulates light intensity generated by a continuous wave laser in accordance with an information signal. The modulator and laser may be disposed on separate, discrete substrates or they may be fabricated together on a single substrate. External modulators fall into two main families: electro-optic type modulators, such as Mach-Zehnder type electro-optic modulators, which modulate light through destructive interference; and electroabsorptive modulators, which absorb light through the Quantum Confined Stark Effect (QCSE). The absorption spectrum of an electroabsorptive modulator depends on the drive voltage across the modulator. For example, some modulators are transparent with no drive voltage and are opaque with an applied voltage. Thus, with these types of modulators a continuous wave laser may be modulated to a digital bit stream by varying the drive voltage across the modulator.
Direct laser modulation works well at bit rates up to approximately 1 GHz. At higher modulation frequencies, however, nonlinear effects within the laser create chirp. Chirp is a variation in optical signal wavelength over the duration of a laser light pulse during modulation. For positive transient chirp, the leading edge of the laser light pulse comprises shorter wavelengths than the trailing edge. In positive dispersion fibers, shorter wavelengths travel faster than longer wavelengths. The pulse therefore broadens as it propagates. Regenerators often are required in order to compensate for this positive chirp, raising the cost of communications networks considerably. For this reason, direct modulation of lasers typically is not used at high bit rates, especially when the laser is driven to create sharp laser pulses with abrupt rising and falling edges.
External modulation is favored for applications that are sensitive to chirp, such as long-distance digital optical communications, where the excessive spectral broadening in the emitted modulated light due to chirp leads to a greater pulse distortion during propagation and a reduction in overall performance. Optical signal modulation via external electroabsorptive modulators commonly is used because this mechanism introduces very little chirp into the output signal. The main disadvantage of external modulation, however, is low extinction ratio of the output optical signal. Larger extinction ratios require highly modulated electrical drive signals, requiring very high electrical power. The extinction ratio and related signal-to-noise ratio often are limiting factors in external modulation approaches.