Patent ID: 11880116

Abstract:
An optical DAC includes a 1:N splitter that splits a single light beam into N light beams corresponding to bits of an N-bit electrical digital signal (where N is an integer of 2 or more) and makes the N light beams different in optical intensities such that (N−1) light beams corresponding to bits except a least significant bit of the N-bit electrical digital signal each have an optical intensity which is four times as large as an optical intensity of a light beam corresponding to a next less significant bit, an optical intensity modulator that individually intensity-modulates the N light beams, an N:1 combiner that combines the N output light beams intensity-modulated by the optical intensity modulator and outputs the combined light, and a phase shifter that is adjustable such that the light beams that are combined by the N:1 combiner are made in phase.