Author: claimsbot

1. An apparatus comprising:
an indurating furnace structure defining drying, heating, and cooling stations;
a conveyor to convey pelletized material through the drying, heating and cooling stations;
a downcomer configured to direct a downdraft toward the heating station; and
a premix burner configured to form premix from fuel gas and combustion air and to inject the premix into the downcomer for combustion of the premix in the downdraft.
2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a reactant supply and control system configured to supply the premix burner with fuel gas and combustion air in amounts for premix to have a lean fuel-to-oxidant ratio.
3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a reactant supply and control system configured to supply the premix burner with fuel gas, unheated air from the ambient atmosphere, and heated downdraft air from the downcomer, and wherein the premix burner is configured to form the premix from the fuel gas, the unheated air, and the heated downdraft air.
4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to supply the premix burner with the fuel gas, the unheated air, and the heated downdraft air in amounts for the premix to have a lean fuel-to-oxidant ratio.
5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the downcomer defines a vertical passage for the downdraft and has a recessed portion defining a combustion zone recessed from the vertical passage, and wherein the burner is configured to inject the premix into the recessed combustion zone to form a flame projecting through the recessed combustion zone toward the vertical passage.
6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 further comprising a reactant supply and control system configured to supply the burner with fuel and combustion air at rates for the premix to form a flame that projects fully through the recessed combustion zone and into the vertical passage.
7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 further comprising a reactant supply and control system configured to supply the burner with fuel and combustion air at rates for the premix to form a flame that projects only partially through the recessed combustion zone.
8. An apparatus comprising:
an indurating furnace structure defining drying, heating, and cooling stations;
a conveyor to convey pelletized material through the drying, heating and cooling stations;
a downcomer configured to direct a downdraft toward the heating station;
a premix burner configured to form premix from fuel gas and combustion air and to inject the premix into the downcomer for combustion of the premix in the downdraft; and
a reactant supply and control system configured to supply fuel gas and combustion air to the premix burner and simultaneously to inject staged fuel gas without combustion air into the downcomer separately from the premix injected by the premix burner.
9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to inject staged fuel gas without combustion air into the downcomer at a location downstream of the premix burner.
10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to inject staged fuel gas without combustion air into the downcomer at a location upstream of the premix burner.
11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the downcomer defines a vertical passage for the downdraft and has a recessed portion defining a combustion zone recessed from the vertical passage, and wherein the premix burner is configured to inject premix into the recessed combustion zone to form a flame projecting through the recessed combustion zone toward the vertical passage.
12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to supply the premix burner with fuel and combustion air at rates for the premix to form a flame that projects fully through the recessed combustion zone and into the vertical passage.
13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to supply the premix burner with fuel and combustion air at rates for the premix to form a flame that projects only partially through the recessed combustion zone.
14. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to inject staged fuel gas without combustion air into the downcomer at a location upstream of the recessed combustion zone.
15. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to inject staged fuel gas without combustion air into the downcomer at a location downstream of the recessed combustion zone.
16. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 further comprising a Venturi mixer structure that has a mixer flow passage and is arranged for the injected premix to entrain staged fuel gas into the mixer flow passage.
17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to inject staged fuel gas without combustion air into the downcomer at a location upstream of the Venturi mixer structure and also at a location downstream of the Venturi mixer structure.
18. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to supply fuel gas and combustion air to the premix burner in amounts for the premix to have a lean fuel-to-oxidant ratio, while simultaneously injecting staged fuel gas without combustion air at a rate that is stoichiometric with the premix supplied to the premix burner.
19. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to supply the premix burner with fuel gas, unheated air from the ambient atmosphere, and heated downdraft air from the downcomer, and wherein the premix burner is configured to form the premix from the fuel gas, the unheated air, and the heated downdraft air.
20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to supply the fuel gas, the unheated air, and the heated downdraft air to the premix burner in amounts for the premix to have a lean fuel-to-oxidant ratio, while simultaneously injecting staged fuel gas without combustion air into the downcomer at a rate that is stoichiometric with the premix supplied to the premix burner.
21. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the premix burner port has a central axis and is configured to inject the premix into the downdraft along the axis, and the reactant supply and control system comprises an array of secondary fuel ports that are spaced radially from the burner port and configured to inject streams of second stage fuel gas into the downdraft in directions parallel to or inclined toward the axis.
22. An apparatus comprising:
an indurating furnace structure defining drying, heating, and cooling stations;
a conveyor to convey pelletized material through the drying, heating and cooling stations;
a downcomer configured to direct a downdraft toward the heating station;
a burner configured to inject fuel gas and combustion air into the downcomer for combustion in the downdraft;
a reactant supply and control system configured to supply fuel gas and combustion air to the burner and simultaneously to inject staged fuel gas without combustion air into the downcomer separately from the burner; and
a Venturi mixer structure that has a mixer flow passage and is arranged for the injected fuel gas and combustion air to entrain staged fuel gas into the mixer flow passage.
23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein the reactant supply and control system is configured to inject staged fuel gas without combustion air into the downcomer at a location upstream of the Venturi mixer structure and also at a location downstream of the Venturi mixer structure.
24. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein the burner is a premix burner configured to form premix from fuel gas and combustion air and to inject the premix into the downcomer, and the reactant supply and control system is configured to supply the burner with fuel gas and combustion air in amounts for the premix to have a lean fuel-to-oxidant ratio while simultaneously injecting the staged fuel gas at a rate that is stoichiometric with the premix supplied to the burner.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A medical implantable pulse generator system comprising:
a housing enclosing pulse generating circuitry;
a plurality of feed-through wires coupled to the pulse generating circuitry and extending through the housing;
a lead having a plurality of terminals;
a header coupled to the housing, the header comprising:
a port adapted to receive an end of the lead,
an inner guide having a plurality of transverse bores positioned to correspond to the plurality of feed-through wires such that the inner guide is slidingly coupled to the plurality of feed-through wires, wherein the inner guide has an exterior longitudinal surface intersecting a portion of each bore of the plurality of transverse bores to create an exposed portion of each feed-through wire of the plurality of feed-through wires,
an outer seal having an interior surface sized to support the plurality of terminals such that each terminal is maintained against the exposed portion of a corresponding feed-through wire, and
a clip component coupled to the outer seal and biased to compress against the outer seal to create compression forces on the outer seal, and
wherein a plurality of longitudinal curved exterior surfaces are defined on the outer seal and a plurality of longitudinal detents are defined by the clip component which are shaped to fit within the plurality of longitudinal curved exterior surfaces.
2. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 1, further comprising:
a second lead having a second plurality of terminals;
a second port defined in the header and adapted to receive an end of the second lead,
a second longitudinal surface defined on an opposing side of the inner guide intersecting a portion of the bores of the plurality of transverse bores to create a second exposed portion of certain feed-through wires of the plurality of feed-through wires, and
a second interior surface defined within the outer seal sized to support the second plurality of terminals such that each terminal in the second plurality of terminals is maintained against the second exposed portion of a corresponding feed-through wire.
3. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 1 wherein the feed-through wires and the terminals are made from non-oxide film producing conductors.
4. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 1 wherein the feed-through wires and terminals are made from alloys selected from the group consisting of platinum and platinum-iridium.
5. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 1 wherein the outer seal is made from a material able to maintain elastomeric fluid forces on the terminals when the material is under compression forces.
6. The implantable pulse generator of claim 1 wherein the outer seal is made from silicone rubber.
7. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 1, wherein in response to the compression forces created on the outer seal, the outer seal provides compression forces to the terminals to maintain the terminals against the exposed portion of the feed-through wires.
8. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of longitudinal curved exterior surfaces of the inner guide includes a proximal pair of opposing curved surfaces and a distal pair of opposing curved surfaces;
the plurality of longitudinal detents of the clip component includes a proximal pair of opposing detents and a distal pair of opposing detents;
when the clip component is in a first position such that the distal pair of opposing detents are mated with the proximal pair of opposing curved surfaces, voids between the longitudinal surfaces and the outer seal are increased, and
when the clip component is in a second position such that the distal pair of opposing detents are mated with the distal pair of opposing curved surface, voids between the recesses and the outer seal are decreased.
9. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lateral grooves defined within an outer surface of the outer seal and a plurality of leg portions coupled to the clip component and slidingly coupled to the lateral grooves such that the clip component can move from a first position to a second position with respect to the outer seal.
10. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 1, wherein:
the terminals are ring terminals having exterior diameters which purchase out from a diameter of compliant material of the lead; and
the longitudinal surface of the inner guide is a curved surface having a first diameter along certain longitudinal portions of the curved surface which accommodates the diameter of the ring terminals and having a second diameter along other longitudinal portions of the curved surface which accommodates the diameter of the complaint material.
11. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 1, further comprising:
at least one support having a plurality of lateral bores such that the feed-through wires pass from the interior of the housing through the lateral bores and into the inner guide,
a plurality of ring seals positioned between the feed-through wires and the lateral bores,
at least one base coupled to the housing having at least one aperture sized to accommodate the at least one support, and
at least one seal between the at least one aperture and the at least one support.
12. A header component for a medical implantable pulse generator comprising:
a plurality of feed-through wires adapted to couple to a pulse generating circuitry;
an inner guide having a plurality of bores wherein each bore is positioned to align to the plurality of feed-through wires such that the inner guide is slidingly coupled to the plurality of feed-through wires, wherein the inner guide has an exterior surface intersecting a portion of each bore of the plurality of bores to create an exposed portion of each feed-through wire of the plurality of feed-through wires,
an outer seal having a strain relief port for receiving a stimulation lead having a plurality of terminals and a central portion, wherein the central portion has an interior surface sized to support the plurality of terminals against the exposed portions of corresponding feed-through wires when the header is coupled to the stimulation lead, and
a clip component fitting over at least a portion of the central portion of the outer seal;
wherein the clip component produces compression forces on the outer seal.
13. The implantable pulse generator system of claim 12 further comprising:
a second strain relief port defined within the outer seal and adapted to receive a second stimulation lead having a second plurality of terminals,
a second longitudinal surface defined on an opposing side of the inner guide intersecting a portion of the bores of the plurality of transverse bores to create a second exposed portion of certain feed-through wires of the plurality of feed-through wires, and
a second interior surface defined within the outer seal sized to support the second plurality of terminals against the second exposed portions of corresponding feed-through wires when the header is coupled to the second stimulation lead.
14. The header component of claim 12, wherein the feed-through wires and the terminals are made from non-oxide film producing conductors.
15. The header component of claim 12, wherein the outer seal is made from a material able to maintain elastomeric fluid forces on the terminals when the material is under compression forces.
16. The implantable pulse generator of claim 12, wherein the outer seal is made from silicone rubber.
17. The header component of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of longitudinal curved exterior surfaces defined on the outer seal and a plurality of longitudinal detents defined by the clip component which are shaped to fit against the plurality of longitudinal curved exterior surfaces.
18. The header component of claim 17, wherein:
the plurality of longitudinal curved exterior surfaces includes a proximal pair of opposing curved surfaces and a distal pair of opposing curved surfaces;
the plurality of longitudinal detents includes a proximal pair of opposing detents and a distal pair of opposing detents;
when the clip component is in a first position such that the distal pair of opposing detents are mated with the proximal pair of opposing curved surface, voids between the longitudinal curved exterior surfaces and the outer seal are increased, and
when the clip component is in a second position such that the distal pair of opposing detents are mated with the distal pair of opposing curved surface, voids between the recesses and the outer seal are decreased.
19. The header component of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of lateral grooves defined within an outer surface of the outer seal and a plurality of leg portions coupled to the clip component and slidingly coupled to the lateral grooves such that the clip component can move from a first position to a second position with respect to the outer seal.
20. The header component of claim 12, wherein:
the terminals are ring terminals having exterior diameters which purchase out from a diameter of compliant material of the lead; and
the exterior surface is a longitudinal curved surface having a diameter along certain longitudinal portions of the curved surface which accommodates the diameter of the ring terminals and having a second diameter along other longitudinal portions of the curved surface which accommodates the diameter of the complaint material.
21. The header component of claim 12, further comprising:
at least one support having a plurality of lateral bores such that the feed-through wires pass from the interior of the housing through the lateral bores and into the inner guide,
a plurality of ring seals positioned between the feed-through wires and the lateral bores,
at least one base coupled to the housing having at least one aperture sized to accommodate the at least one support, and
at least one seal between the at least one aperture and the at least one support.
22. A method of assembling an implantable pulse generator system, comprising:
providing pulse generating circuitry within a housing;
providing feed-through wires to permit electrical access to the pulse generating circuitry within the housing;
coupling the feed-through wires to an inner guide to maintain the position of the feed-through wires and to create an exposed portion of each feed-through wire,
surrounding a portion of the inner guide with an outer seal to create a void proximal to the exposed portion of each feed-through wire,
inserting terminals of a lead into the void,
connecting the exposed portions of the feed-through wires to the corresponding terminals, and
applying compressive forces to the terminals to maintain the terminals against the exposed portions of the feed-through wires;
wherein the applying compressive forces includes positioning a biasing member over the outer seal to compress the outer seal such that the outer seal applies compressive forces to the terminals;
wherein the positioning a biasing member includes positioning longitudinal detents of a clip component over longitudinal curved surfaces of the outer sea.

1. A method for operating a graphics program in a computer, comprising:
performing one or more functions of a Sheet Set Manager in the graphics program,
(a) wherein the Sheet Set Manager manages one or more Sheet Sets, each of the Sheet Sets comprises a collection of zero or more Sheets and Subsets of the Sheets, each of the Sheets comprises a drawing, layout or view, and the Sheet Set Manager manages one or more different views for the Sheets; and
(b) wherein the function comprises an Automatic View Creation, such that the Sheet Set Manager presents a user with a list of the views defined in the Sheet Set and the user places a view from the list onto a Sheet to invoke the Automatic View Creation.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein boundaries for the views are re-defined after creation.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the views is associated with a viewport.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the views is represented by a thumbnail preview image displayed by the Sheet Set Manager.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the Sheet Set Manager automatically creates one or more different views for the Sheets in response to a user command.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user command comprises a drag-and-drop operation.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the Sheet Set Manager creates a reference to a file containing the automatically created view.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the Sheet Set Manager creates a viewport displaying a geometric region defined in the automatically created view.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the automatically created view is placed in a hierarchical representation displayed on the computer.
10. The method of claim 5, wherein the Sheet Set Manager places a label block associated with the automatically created view into the Sheet, with fields to display label information for the automatically created view, which updates automatically if the field’s values change.
11. The method of claim 5, wherein the Sheet Set Manager allows a user to adjust a scale of the automatically created view.
12. An apparatus for operating a graphics program in a computer, comprising:
a graphics program, executed by the computer, and performing one or more functions of a Sheet Set Manager in the graphics program,
(a) wherein the Sheet Set Manager manages one or more Sheet Sets, each of the Sheet Sets comprises a collection of zero or more Sheets and Subsets of the Sheets, each of the Sheets comprises a drawing, layout or view, and the Sheet Set Manager manages one or more different views for the Sheets; and
(b) wherein the function comprises an Automatic View Creation, such that the Sheet Set Manager presents a user with a list of the views defined in the Sheet Set and the user places a view from the list onto a Sheet to invoke the Automatic View Creation.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein boundaries for the views are re-defined after creation.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of the views is associated with a viewport.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of the views is represented by a thumbnail preview image displayed by the Sheet Set Manager.
16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the Sheet Set Manager automatically creates one or more different views for the Sheets in response to a user command.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the user command comprises a drag-and-drop operation.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the Sheet Set Manager creates a reference to a file containing the automatically created view.
19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the Sheet Set Manager creates a viewport displaying a geometric region defined in the automatically created view.
20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the automatically created view is placed in a hierarchical representation displayed on the computer.
21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the Sheet Set Manager places a label block associated with the automatically created view into the Sheet, with fields to display label information for the automatically created view, which updates automatically if the field’s values change.
22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the Sheet Set Manager allows a user to adjust a scale of the automatically created view.
23. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage device embodying instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for operating a graphics program in a computer, comprising:
performing one or more functions of a Sheer Set Manager in the graphics program,
(a) wherein the Sheet Set Manager manages one or more Sheet Sets, each of the Sheet Sets comprises a collection of zero or more Sheets and Subsets of the Sheets, each of the Sheets comprises a drawing, layout or view, and the Sheer Set Manager manages one or more different views for the Sheets; and
(b) wherein the function comprises an Automatic View Creation, such that the Sheet Set Manager presents a user with a list of the views defined in the Sheet Set and the user places a view from the list onto a Sheet to invoke the Automatic View Creation.
24. The article of claim 23, wherein boundaries for the views are re-defined after creation.
25. The article of claim 23, wherein each of the views is associated with a viewport.
26. The article of claim 23, wherein each of the views is represented by a thumbnail preview image displayed by the Sheet Set Manager.
27. The article of claim 23, wherein the Sheet Set Manager automatically creates one or more different views for the Sheets in response to a user command.
28. The article of claim 27, wherein the user command comprises a drag-and-drop operation.
29. The article of claim 27, wherein the Sheet Set Manager creates a reference to a file containing the automatically created view.
30. The article of claim 27, wherein the Sheet Set Manager creates a viewport displaying a geometric region defined in the automatically created view.
31. The article of claim 27, wherein the automatically created view is placed in a hierarchical representation displayed on the computer.
32. The article of claim 27, wherein the Sheet Set Manager places a label block associated with the automatically created view into the Sheet, with fields to display label information for the automatically created view, which updates automatically if the field’s values change.
33. The article of claim 27, wherein the Sheet Set Manager allows a user to adjust a scale of the automatically created view.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An optical modulator, comprising:
a substrate having an electro-optical effect;
first and second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguides formed in series on said substrate;
a first signal electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a clock signal;
a second signal electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a data signal;
a first bias electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a bias voltage;
a second bias electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with another bias voltage;
a first coupler provided on the outgoing side of said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a second coupler provided on the outgoing side of said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a first monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said first coupler;
a second monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said second coupler;
a first bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said first bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said first monitor photodiode; and
a second bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said second bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said second monitor photodiode;
said first coupler including two input waveguides through one of which light from said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide is inputted, a waveguide coupling element for coupling said two input waveguides with a distance d11, and two output waveguides branched from said waveguide coupling element with a distance d21;
the distance d11 in said waveguide coupling element of said first coupler being set to less than one half of width w011 at a portion at which each of said input waveguides is connected to said waveguide coupling element;
width ww11 of said waveguide coupling element on said input waveguides side being set to 2.5 times to 3.5 times the width w011.
2. An optical modulator, comprising:
a substrate having an electro-optical effect;
first and second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguides formed in series on said substrate;
a first signal electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a clock signal;
a second signal electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a data signal;
a first bias electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a bias voltage;
a second bias electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with another bias voltage;
a first coupler provided on the outgoing side of said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a second coupler provided on the outgoing side of said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a first monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said first coupler;
a second monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said second coupler;
a first bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said first bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said first monitor photodiode; and
a second bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said second bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said second monitor photodiode;
said first coupler including two input waveguides through one of which light from said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide is inputted, a waveguide coupling element for coupling said two input waveguides with a distance d11, and two output waveguides branched from said waveguide coupling element with a distance d21;
the distance d21 in said waveguide coupling element of said first coupler being set to less than one half of width w021 at a portion at which each of said output waveguides is connected to said waveguide coupling element;
width ww21 of said waveguide coupling element on said output waveguides side being set to 2.5 times to 3.5 times the width w021.
3. An optical modulator, comprising:
a substrate having an electro-optical effect;
first and second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguides formed in series on said substrate;
a first signal electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a clock signal;
a second signal electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a data signal;
a first bias electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a bias voltage;
a second bias electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with another bias voltage;
a first coupler provided on the outgoing side of said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a second coupler provided on the outgoing side of said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a first monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said first coupler;
a second monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said second coupler;
a first bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said first bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said first monitor photodiode; and
a second bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said second bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said second monitor photodiode;
said second coupler including two input waveguides through one of which light from said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide is inputted, a waveguide coupling element for coupling said two input waveguides with a distance d12, and two output waveguides branched from said waveguide coupling element with a distance d22;
the distance d12 in said waveguide coupling element of said second coupler being set to less than one half of width w012 at a portion at which said input waveguides are connected to said waveguide coupling element;
width ww12 of said waveguide coupling element on said input waveguides side being set to 2.5 times to 3.5 times the width w012.
4. An optical modulator, comprising:
a substrate having an electro-optical effect;
first and second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguides formed in series on said substrate;
a first signal electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a clock signal;
a second signal electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a data signal;
a first bias electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a bias voltage;
a second bias electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with another bias voltage;
a first coupler provided on the outgoing side of said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a second coupler provided on the outgoing side of said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a first monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said first coupler;
a second monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said second coupler;
a first bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said first bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said first monitor photodiode; and
a second bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said second bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said second monitor photodiode;
said second coupler including two input waveguides through one of which light from said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide is inputted, a waveguide coupling element for coupling said two input waveguides with a distance d12, and two output waveguides branched from said waveguide coupling element with a distance d22;
the distance d22 in said waveguide coupling element of said second coupler being set to less than one half of width w022 at a portion at which each of said output waveguides is connected to said waveguide coupling element;
width ww22 of said waveguide coupling element on said output waveguides side being set to 2.5 times to 3.5 times the width w022.
5. An optical modulator, comprising:
a substrate having an electro-optical effect;
first and second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguides formed in series on said substrate;
a first signal electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a clock signal;
a second signal electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a data signal;
a first bias electrode section provided on said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with a bias voltage;
a second bias electrode section provided on said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for being supplied with another bias voltage;
a first coupler provided on the outgoing side of said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a second coupler provided on the outgoing side of said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide for fetching monitor light;
a first monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said first coupler;
a second monitor photodiode for detecting a light signal of the monitor light fetched by said second coupler;
a first bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said first bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said first monitor photodiode; and
a second bias voltage control section for controlling the bias voltage to be supplied to said second bias electrode section based on the light signal detected by said second monitor photodiode;
said first coupler including two first input waveguides through one of which light from said first Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide is inputted, a first waveguide coupling element for coupling said two first input waveguides with a distance d11, and two first output waveguides branched from said first waveguide coupling element with a distance d21;
said second coupler including two second input waveguides through one of which light from said second Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide is inputted, a second waveguide coupling element for coupling said two second input waveguides with a distance d12, and two second output waveguides branched from said second waveguide coupling element with a distance d22;
the distances d11 and d21 in said first waveguide coupling element of said first coupler being set to less than one half of widths w01, and w021 at portions at which each of said first input waveguides and each of said first output waveguides are connected to said first waveguide coupling element, respectively;
the widths ww11 and ww21 of said first waveguide coupling element on said first input waveguides side and said first output waveguides side being set to 2.5 times to 3.5 times the widths w011 and w021, respectively;
the distances d12 and d22 in said second waveguide coupling element of said second coupler being set to less than one half of widths w012 and w022 at portions at which each of said second input waveguides and each of said second output waveguides are connected to said second waveguide coupling element, respectively;
the widths ww12 and ww22 of said second waveguide coupling element on said second input waveguides side and said second output waveguides side being set to 2.5 times to 3.5 times the widths w012 and w022, respectively.
6. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of said first waveguide coupling element is set so that said two first output waveguides in said first coupler may branch the light from said first waveguide coupling element with a power ratio of 1:1 without depending upon the polarization, and one of said two first output waveguides is used as a signal light propagating waveguide while the other of said two first output waveguides is used as a monitoring waveguide.
7. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the length of said first waveguide coupling element is set so that said two first output waveguides in said first coupler may branch the light from said first waveguide coupling element with a power ratio of 1:1 without depending upon the polarization, and one of said two first output waveguides is used as a signal light propagating waveguide while the other of said two first output waveguides is used as a monitoring waveguide.
8. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the length of said first waveguide coupling element is set so that said two first output waveguides in said first coupler may branch the light from said first waveguide coupling element with a power ratio of 1:1 without depending upon the polarization, and one of said two first output waveguides is used as a signal light propagating waveguide while the other of said two first output waveguides is used as a monitoring waveguide.
9. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the length of said second waveguide coupling element is set so that said two second output waveguides in said second coupler may branch the light from said second waveguide coupling element with a power ratio of 1:1 without depending upon the polarization, and one of said two second output waveguides is used as a signal light propagating waveguide while the other of said two second output waveguides is used as a monitoring waveguide.
10. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the length of said second waveguide coupling element is set so that said two second output waveguides in said second coupler may branch the light from said second waveguide coupling element with a power ratio of 1:1 without depending upon the polarization, and one of said two second output waveguides is used as a signal light propagating waveguide while the other of said two second output waveguides is used as a monitoring waveguide.
11. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the length of said second waveguide coupling element is set so that said two second output waveguides in said second coupler may branch the light from said second waveguide coupling element with a power ratio of 1:1 without depending upon the polarization, and one of said two second output waveguides is used as a signal light propagating waveguide while the other of said two second output waveguides is used as a monitoring waveguide.
12. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distances d11 and d21 or the distances d12 and d22 are substantially equal to each other, and the widths w011 and w021 or the widths w012 and w022 are substantially equal to each other.
13. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the distances d11 and d21 or the distances d12 and d22 are substantially equal to each other, and the widths w011 and w021 or the widths w012 and w022 are substantially equal to each other.
14. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the distances d11 and d21 or the distances d12 and d22 are substantially equal to each other, and the widths w011 and w021 or the widths w012 and w022 are substantially equal to each other.
15. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the distances d11 and d21 or the distances d12 and d22 are substantially equal to each other, and the widths w011 and w021 or the widths w012 and w022 are substantially equal to each other.
16. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the distances d11 and d21 or the distances d12 and d22 are substantially equal to each other, and the widths w011 and w021 or the widths w012 and w022 are substantially equal to each other.
17. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the widths ww11 and ww21 or the widths ww12 and ww22 of said waveguide coupling element are substantially equal to each other.
18. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the widths ww11 and ww21 or the widths ww12 and ww22 of said waveguide coupling element are substantially equal to each other.
19. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the widths ww11 and ww21 or the widths ww12 and ww12 of said waveguide coupling element are substantially equal to each other.
20. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the widths ww11 and ww21 or the widths ww12 and ww22 of said waveguide coupling element are substantially equal to each other.
21. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the widths ww11 and ww21 or the widths ww12 and ww22 of said waveguide coupling element are substantially equal to each other.
22. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input waveguides and output waveguides are connected to said waveguide coupling element with an opening angle of 0.5 degrees or more at the connecting portions.
23. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 2, wherein said input waveguides and output waveguides are connected to said waveguide coupling element with an opening angle of 0.5 degrees or more at the connecting portions.
24. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein said input waveguides and output waveguides are connected to said waveguide coupling element with an opening angle of 0.5 degrees or more at the connecting portions.
25. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 4, wherein said input waveguides and output waveguides are connected to said waveguide coupling element with an opening angle of 0.5 degrees or more at the connecting portions.
26. The optical modulator as claimed in claim 5, wherein said input waveguides and output waveguides are connected to said waveguide coupling element with an opening angle of 0.5 degrees or more at the connecting portions.