Properties of the fiber reflection Mach–Zehnder interferometer with identical couplers

Abstract

Results are presented of a study of a fiber reflection Mach-Zehnder interferometer that is based on identical couplers. It has been found that, for couplers having splitting ratios within a certain range, it is always possible to switch all the light between transmission and reflection by varying the interferometer phase difference. Outside of this range, the device reflects only a small portion of the incoming light. Devices based on couplers with various splitting ratios are shown to be potentially suitable for a range of applications.

Optical modulator with an integrated loop mirror

“…This was inspired by previous work demonstrated with fiber loopmirrors [1,2]. When no voltage is applied on the MZI arms, all the input power appears at the upper arm of the loop-mirror (see fig.…”

DPSK Modulation With a Dual-Drive Silicon Photonic Loop-Mirror Modulator

“…Light at the input of the loop-mirror is split in two, and each half travels in the opposite direction along the loop. In nonlinear applications, the relative phase between the two halves of the initial signal is controlled by the power of a second signal that propagates in only one direction [2]- [4] Depending on the relative phase of each portion of the initial signal, it can be reflected toward the input or transmitted toward an output port.…”