Patent ID: 7065302

Claim:
A high efficiency optical feedback modulator operable to produce a high modulation depth optical signal, comprising: an optical modulator having a first and a second optical input and a first and a second optical output; and an optical feedback system coupling the second optical output to the second optical input and operable to communicate an optical feedback signal from the second optical output to the second optical input, the optical feedback system including an optical amplifier disposed between the second optical output and the second optical input, the optical amplifier being operable to increase an optical intensity of the optical feedback signal; wherein the first optical input is operable to receive an input light beam and the optical modulator operates to modulate the input light beam and the optical feedback signal in response to an electrical signal applied around a selected phase angle operating point of the optical modulator within a specified range of phase angles wherein a slope of a transfer curve relating relative optical intensity of an optical signal output by the optical modulator versus phase angle of the optical modulator is at least 0.08725 per degree to output the high modulation depth optical signal from the first optical output.