OPTICAL MODULATOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical modulator which provides a higher manufacturing yield.SOLUTION: An optical modulator includes a plurality of optical waveguides 3 formed on a substrate 1 to guide light, high frequency electrical signal traveling wave electrodes 4, through which a high frequency electrical signal for modulating light travels, formed on one surface of the substrate 1, and bias electrodes for applying bias voltage on the optical waveguides, and is divided into a high frequency electrical signal interaction section and a bias interaction section. A first bias electrode comprises a first bias electrode base section which feeds externally applied bias voltage to a prescribed location on the substrate 1, and a plurality of first bias electrode branch sections which extend from the first bias electrode base section along the optical waveguides with a prescribed distance therebetween. One of the plurality of first bias electrode branch sections is formed over one 3b' of the two optical waveguides constituting the bias interaction section, and at least two of the first bias electrode branch sections are electrically connected to each other at locations other than the first bias electrode base section.