Patent attributes
An optical SSB-SC modulation section 13 subjects an optical signal fa outputted from an optical source 11 to an optical SSB-SC modulation based on the amplitude of an external electric signal fc to thereby output an optical intensity-modulated signal. An optical phase modulation section 14 subjects the optical signal fa to an optical phase modulation based on the amplitude levels of the first to nth external electric signals having frequencies f1 to fn to thereby output the resultant signal as an optical phase-modulated signal. An optical combining section 15 combines together the optical intensity-modulated signal and the optical phase-modulated signal. An optical detecting section 16 performs an optical homodyne detection through a squared detection of the optical intensity-modulated signal and the optical phase-modulated signal combined together to thereby produce a wideband modulated signal, being the difference beat signal between the two optical signals. A combining section 17 combines together the wideband modulated signal and the oth to tth electric signals having frequencies fo to ft to thereby output the resultant signal as a wideband modulated signal.