Realising polarisation, phase and intensity modulation using a commercial DP-BPSK modulator

Two microwave photonic structures capable of generating outputs equivalent to those of a polarisation modulator in push-pull and single-arm drive configurations are presented. They are implemented by a commercial dual-polarisation binary phase shift keying (DP-BPSK) modulator with RF components connected to the modulator input RF ports. A 2V π change in the voltage applied to the modulator RF port, where V π is the modulator RF port half wave voltage, causes the polarisation of the light wave at the modulator output to go through the great circle on a Poincare sphere. Phase and intensity modulation can also be realised by connecting a rotatable linear polariser at the equivalent single-arm drive polarisation modulator output. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate the realisation of polarisation, phase and intensity modulation using a DP-BPSK modulator. Two polarisation modulator based microwave photonic signal processors are also set up experimentally to demonstrate high frequency operation of the proposed equivalent polarisation modulators in the push-pull and single-arm drive configurations. • Using an off-the-shelf dual-polarisation binary phase shift keying (DP-BPSK) modulator to realise polarisation modulation. • The equivalent polarisation modulator (PolM) can be designed to have a push-pull or single-arm drive configuration. • The equivalent single-arm drive PolM with a rotatable linear polariser can realise a switchable phase and intensity modulation. • Measured results demonstrate polarisation, phase and intensity modulation can be realised using a single integrated optical modulator. • High-frequency polarisation modulation has been verified through the realisation of wideband microwave signal processing functions.