Wavelength-tunable III-V/Si hybrid optical transmitter
US10281746B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 5, 2018 |
| Grant date | May 7, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 5, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/1032
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical transmitter includes a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) coupled to an input end of a first optical waveguide. An end of the first optical waveguide provides a transmitter output for the optical transmitter. Moreover, a section of the first optical waveguide between the input end and the output end is optically coupled to a ring modulator that modulates an optical signal based on an electrical input signal. A passive ring filter (or a 1×N silicon-photonic switch and a bank of band reflectors) is connected to provide a mirror that reflects light received from the second optical waveguide back toward the RSOA to form a lasing cavity. Moreover, the ring modulator and the passive ring filter have different sizes, which causes a Vernier effect that provides a large wavelength tuning range for the lasing cavity in response to tuning the ring modulator and the passive ring filter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.