Method of tuning optical components integrated in a monolithic photonic integrated circuit (pic)

An optical tuning method comprising the steps:

• providing a plurality of first optical components on a substrate, each of the plurality of first optical components producing a corresponding one of a plurality of optical signals, each of the plurality of optical signals having a corresponding one of a plurality of emission wavelengths;
• providing a plurality of second optical components on the substrate, each of the plurality of second optical components receiving a respective one of the plurality of optical signals and superimposing a respective one of a plurality of tones onto a corresponding one of the plurality of optical signals;
• providing a third optical component on the substrate, the third optical component having a plurality of inputs and an output, each of the plurality of inputs coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of second optical components to receive a corresponding one of the plurality of optical signals, such that the third optical component combines the plurality of optical signals into an output signal;
• recovering the plurality of tones from a portion of the output signal;
• identifying a desired emission wavelength, the desired emission wavelength being associated with one of the plurality of tones;
• and
• tuning one of the plurality of emission wavelengths by reducing a spectral difference between said one of the plurality of emission wavelengths and the desired emission wavelength.

An optical tuning method comprising the steps:

• providing a plurality of first optical components on a substrate, each of the plurality of first optical components producing a corresponding one of a plurality of optical signals having a respective one of a plurality of tones, each of the plurality of optical signals having a corresponding one of a plurality of emission wavelengths, the plurality of emission wavelengths forming a wavelength grid;
• providing a second optical component on the substrate, the second optical component having a plurality of inputs and an output, each of the plurality of inputs coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of first optical components to receive a corresponding one of the plurality of optical signals, such that the second optical component combines the plurality of optical signals into an output signal;
• recovering the plurality of tones from a portion of the output signal;
• identifying a desired emission wavelength, the desired emission wavelength being associated with one of the plurality of tones;
• and
• tuning one of the plurality of emission wavelengths by reducing a spectral difference between said one of the plurality of emission wavelengths and the desired emission wavelength.