Method and apparatus for transmitting optical signals

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of transmitting optical signals with high extinction ratios using low-power drive signals. At present, low-power optical transmitters typically operate with modulation extinction ratios of, at best, about 10 dB. Embodiments of the present invention may achieve extinction ratios exceeding 20 dB using low-power drive signals of under 20 mW at data rates on the order of Gbits/sec. In addition, the modulation may be achieved with both low-power and low-fidelity drive waveforms, enabling conventional and often noisy high-speed, low-power electronics to generate high-extinction, high-fidelity optical waveforms.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of transmitting an optical signal, the method comprising;
 driving lasers with a drive signal having a power proportional to a product of a number of the lasers and a maximum voltage squared of the drive signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the maximum voltage is a predetermined level.