Multiwavelength transmitter

Abstract

A multiwavelength transmitter comprises several laser sources (1) each configured to generate light of a different wavelength and a first array waveguide grating (2) arranged to direct light from each of the laser sources (1) into a first waveguide. The transmitter further comprises several electroabsorption modulators (7) each arranged to modulate light at one of the wavelengths with a respective data signal and a second array waveguide grating (6) arranged to direct each of said different wavelengths of light from the first waveguide to a respective one of the modulators (7). The optical modulators (7) are reflective optical modulators and the second array waveguide grating (6) is arranged to direct the modulated light reflected from each of the optical modulators (7) back into the first waveguide. An optical circulator (5) is provided in the first waveguide to couple modulated light from the second array waveguide grating (6) into an output waveguide. The laser sources each comprise a respective reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (1) and share a common cavity reflector (3). The first array waveguide grating (2) is located in the optical path between the semiconductor optical amplifiers (1) and the common cavity reflector (3). The transmitter has the advantage that it can be manufactured by hybrid integration of a monolithic wavelength generation sub-module and a monolithic data modulation sub-module.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.