Abstract: The improved intensity modulator comprises a directional coupler with a single active coupling section with a fixed amount of coupling along with a single pair of electrodes for supplying a voltage-controlled mismatch in propagation constants. Two passively-biased coupling sections are connected in series with the active section, with the two passive sections combined being at least one coupling length long. The bias voltage of the two passive sections are independently varied to compensate for non-linearities by providing additional coupling. In an alternate embodiment, a voltage-controlled directional coupler is connected in series with a fixed Mach-Zehnder modulator and a fixed directional coupler, and linearity is obtained by varying the phase shift of the Mach-Zehnder modulator, the length of the fixed directional coupler, and the length and coupling coefficient of the active coupler.