Optical Frequency Comb Generation by Dual Drive Mach-Zehnder Modulator with Algorithm-assisted Efficient Amplitude Equalization

A theoretical analysis and experimental demonstration of an optical frequency comb generator based on an electro-optical modulating technique designed to achieve line amplitude equalization is presented. For that, a dual drive Mach-Zehnder modulator operating at its over-modulating region was used. After a theoretical analysis, an algorithm was developed to determine the most favorable conditions to obtain an equalized comb. These results were tested experimentally with a low half-wave voltage modulator to generate equalized combs with 18 GHz spacing between their lines and reasonable flatness.