Interferometric wavemeter for broadband sensors in photonic systems

An interferometric wavemeter system, comprising:

• a broadband laser source to generate an optical signal having one or more wavelengths;
• a tap to bifurcate a portion of the optical signal from the broadband laser source;
• a splitter to split the bifurcated portion of the optical signal from the tap into a plurality of outgoing optical signals;
• a plurality of wavemeters coupled to the splitter in parallel, each one in the plurality to receive one of the outgoing optical signals from the splitter;
• and
• a control circuit to collate outputs from individual ones of the plurality of wavemeters to control the broadband laser source, wherein:
• the plurality of wavemeters is configured for central wavelength detuning, and
• each wavemeter in the plurality of wavemeters comprises:
• a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI);
• and
• a photodetector at an output of the MZI.

A photonic integrated circuit, comprising:

• a tap to bifurcate a portion of an optical signal;
• a splitter to split the bifurcated portion of the optical signal from the tap into a plurality of outgoing optical signals;
• a plurality of wavemeters coupled to the splitter in parallel, each one in the plurality to receive one of the outgoing optical signals from the splitter;
• and
• a control circuit to collate outputs from individual ones of the plurality of wavemeters, wherein:
• each wavemeter in the plurality of wavemeters comprises a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI),
• the MZI in each wavemeter comprises two arms having an arm length difference between the two arms,
• different wavemeters in the plurality of wavemeters have approximately equal arm length differences, and
• different wavemeters in the plurality of wavemeters have different center wavelengths.