Self-tuned silicon-photonic WDM transmitter

A system, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor;
• and
• an optical transmitter for communicating optical signals generated by the system, wherein the optical transmitter includes:
• a set of reflective silicon optical amplifiers (RSOAs), which includes two or more RSOAs;
• a set of ring modulators, which modulate optical signals based on electrical input signals;
• a shared broadband reflector;
• a set of intermediate waveguides, wherein each intermediate waveguide in the set is coupled to an RSOA in the set of RSOAs, and channels light from the RSOA in proximity to an associated ring modulator in the set of ring modulators to cause optically coupled light to circulate in the associated ring modulator;
• and
• a shared waveguide with a first and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the shared broadband reflector, and wherein the shared waveguide passes in proximity to the set of ring modulators, so that light circulating in each ring modulator in the set causes optically coupled light to flow in the shared optical waveguide;
• wherein each RSOA in the set of RSOAs forms a lasing cavity, which includes an associated intermediate waveguide in the set of intermediate waveguides, an associated ring modulator in the set of ring modulators, the shared waveguide and the shared broadband reflector;
• wherein each lasing cavity has a different wavelength, which is determined by a resonance of the associated ring modulator;
• and
• wherein the different wavelengths in each of the lasing cavities are combined in the shared waveguide to produce a combined output that emanates from the second end of the shared waveguide.

A method for operating an optical transmitter, comprising:

• generating a set of optical signals by powering a set of reflective silicon optical amplifiers (RSOAs), which includes two or more RSOAs;
• channeling the generated optical signals through a set of intermediate waveguides, wherein each intermediate waveguide in the set is attached to an RSOA in the set of RSOAs and channels light from the RSOA in proximity to an associated ring modulator in a set of ring modulators to cause optically coupled light to circulate in the associated ring modulator;
• optically coupling light, which is circulating in each ring modulator in the set of ring modulators, into a shared waveguide with a first end and a second end;
• directing the optically coupled light through the first end of the shared waveguide to a shared broadband reflector, which reflects the directed light back down the shared waveguide, wherein the shared broadband reflector forms a separate lasing cavity with each RSOA in the set of RSOAs, wherein each lasing cavity includes the shared broadband reflector, the shared waveguide, an associated ring modulator in the set of ring modulators, an associated intermediate waveguide in the set of intermediate waveguides and the RSOA, and wherein each lasing cavity has a different wavelength, which is determined by a resonance of the associated ring modulator;
• and
• combining the different wavelengths from each of the lasing cavities in the shared waveguide to produce an output that emanates from the second end of the shared waveguide.