Patent ID: 6856441

Claim:
A method of tuning a wavelength tunable electroabsorption modulator (EAM), comprising the steps of: a) providing a reference average power loss factor for light having a reference peak wavelength that is modulated by the wavelength tunable EAM, the reference average power loss factor based on operation of the wavelength tunable EAM using a reference bias voltage, a reference temperature, and a reference modulation signal having a predetermined duty cycle; b) optically coupling the input light beam into the wavelength tunable EAM; c) modulating light within the wavelength tunable EAM using a modulation signal having the predetermined duty cycle; d) measuring an input power of light provided to the wavelength tunable EAM and an average output power of light emitted from the wavelength tunable EAM to generate an average power loss factor; e) comparing the average power loss factor to the reference average power loss factor; and f) adjusting at least one of a bias voltage and a temperature of the wavelength tunable EAM to reduce differences between the average power loss factor and the reference average power loss factor, thereby tuning the wavelength tunable EAM.