We present an O-band multi-wavelength source for wavelength division multiplexed optical transceivers. The source architecture comprises a monolithic DFB laser array hybrid-integrated with a Si3N4 star coupler via photonic wire bonds. The prototype source outputs an eight-wavelength comb into each of eight output fibers.

We present a small-signal model of the multiple quantum well (MQW) reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) with the accompanying parasitic circuit, followed by a numerical simulation of its modulation response. We analyze the corresponding -3 dB bandwidth's dependence on the bias current, optical power of the input signal, and the RSOA's active region length. Material, electrical and optical parameters, and the overall design of MQW RSOA are derived bottom-up from the fundamental principles. It is shown that the modulation response, resulting from either intrinsic or parasitic-like model (including transport effects), usually provides high -3 dB bandwidth, which is clamped by the chip's parasitics, leading to a relatively poor external modulation bandwidth. This issue can be overcome by an advanced design of the RSOA structure, as the one proposed in this paper and with the optimized bonding, which may improve the external modulation bandwidth significantly through the inductive peaking effect (IPE). Moreover, IPE's efficiency increases if the intrinsic or parasitic-like modulation bandwidth is in the proximity of the parasitic circuit resonant frequency.

We present a proof-of-concept 8-channel WDM source for future Terabit interconnects, based on a highly efficient laser array. The array is composed of novel, record efficiency and high power DFB lasers operating at 1280nm, showing >250mW laser output power and laser efficiencies up to 36%.

Reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers (RSOAs) in a fiber cavity are attractive self-seeding optical sources for wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) access networks. This paper presents an analytical model of this fiber cavity laser (FCL). The model accounts for the Rayleigh backscattering (RB) of the fiber cavity as a primary mechanism of optical feedback inside the FCL. Moreover, it also includes the reflectivity of the remote node mirror. The purpose of the model is to analytically estimate the threshold RSOA gain required for the FCL to lase, by taking into account the fiber cavity length, the related attenuation and the RB. The model is suitable to experimentally characterize the Rayleigh backscattering coefficient, once the threshold gain of RSOA-FCL is measured.

RF photonic systems place extremely high demands on optical component performance. To achieve this, a low noise, high power optical source; a high power, linear and low νπ optical modulator; sharp and uniform optical filters; and high saturation power photodetectors are required. While some of these individual components exist, they have not, to date, been integrated in any currently existing monolithic or hybrid photonic integration platform. In this paper, recent advances in discrete component performance are presented, including optical sources, modulators and detectors. In addition, options for the integration of these components onto an integrated photonic platform are reviewed.

Freedom Photonics has demonstrated a semiconductor modulator with 1.2V static Vπ and >20 GHz bandwidth, and photodetectors that operate linearly up to 100mA photocurrent and with a bandwidth exceeding 20 GHz. These components will form the basis for high performance RF photonic links with low noise figure, high SFDR and realistic operating optical power in the 100's mW range.

Over the past decade, different widely tunable lasers and transmitter PICs have been conceived and developed. In this paper, we will review the state-of-the-art in this arena, and discuss recent results, including widely tunable lasers in different wavelength bands, and compact integrated optical transmitters.

The SAE AS5659 Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) Local Area Network (LAN) standard defines network access (NAI) and backbone network (BNI) optical interfaces. NAIs and BNIs provide optical connection to and within the backbone network, respectively. The backbone network is comprised of optical network elements (ONEs). ONEs include optical multiplex and optical transport layers. Client adaptation elements (which include electrical signal adaptation, electrical multiplex and optical channel layers) interface to ONEs via NAIs. ONEs interface to one another via BNIs.

In this paper, provide an overview of the state-of-the-art for the photonic coherent receiver devices, and focus on some of the recent work done on full I-Q coherent receivers integrated with local oscillators.

Large-scale InP photonic integrated circuit containing 1×32 optical phased array packaged with ball grid array has demonstrated two-dimensional (2D) optical beam steering.

InP photonic integrated circuits continue to play important roles in realization of modern optical communication systems, optical sensing and free-space communication systems. In this paper, we report on our recent work on InP advanced modulation format tunable transmitters and receivers, as well as 2D optical beam steering InP PICs.

Two-dimensional optical beam steering using an InP photonic integrated circuit has been demonstrated. Lateral beam steering controlled by a 1-D phased array has been made easier through on-chip interferometer monitors. Longitudinal beam steering controlled by the input wavelength has demonstrated an efficiency of 0.14 °/nm. Very fast beam steering (>107 °/s) in both dimensions has been demonstrated as well. As the latest development, a widely tunable sampled-grating distributed Bragg reflector laser has been monolithically integrated and 2-D beam steering has been demonstrated with this on-chip tunable laser source.

An indium phosphide, monolithically integrated, photonic coherent transmitter with an integrated widely tunable laser is presented. A 20-Gb/s operation over 20-nm range, with quadrature phase-shift-keyed signal is demonstrated.

This paper presents a detailed numerical model of reflective and traveling-wave semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs), based on a self-consistent iteration method. The method is fully transparent to the input parameters and provides stable and efficient convergence of all relevant SOA variables as long as the sufficient number of previous iterations is taken into account. The model accounts for the detailed spectral and carrier density dependence of the radiative recombination rate, material gain, refractive index, and confinement factor. The analysis of unstrained bulk and strained multi-quantum well polarization insensitive SOAs based on this model provides a deep and detailed insight into the device internal state, confirming that spectral and carrier density material dependencies critically influence the modeling results.

A monolithically integrated, photonic, dual polarization capable coherent receiver, with an on-chip widely tunable local oscillator laser is presented. A 20-Gb/s operation with nonreturn-to-zero-quadrature phase-shift-keyed signal, and local oscillator tuning over 40 nm of input wavelength span has been demonstrated.