# US 2014/0153601 A1 · Tunable laser using iii-v gain materials

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- Number: US 2014/0153601 A1
- Document ID: US20140153601A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/871,343
- Filed: 2013-04-26
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-04-26
- Assignees: Acacia Communications, Inc.
- Inventors: Christopher DOERR; Eric SWANSON
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153601A1

## CPC

- H01S 5/041: {Optical pumping}
- H01S 5/125: Distributed Bragg reflector [DBR] lasers
- H01S 5/142: {which comprises an additional resonator}
- H01S 5/0064: {Anti-reflection components, e.g. optical isolators}
- H01S 5/021: {Silicon based substrates}
- H01S 5/02325: Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
- H01S 5/0612: {controlled by temperature}
- H01S 5/1032: {Coupling to elements comprising an optical axis that is not aligned with the optical axis of the active region}
- H10W 90/753: {between laterally-adjacent chips}
- H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Disclosed herein are techniques, methods, structures and apparatus that provide a laser monolithically integrated in a silicon photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that is suitable for high-performance coherent fiber-optic telecommunications and other applications. Among the features of a laser according to the present disclosure, and in particular a hybrid InGaAsP/Si laser, is an integrated Si isolator to protect the laser from back reflections; optical, rather than electrical pumping; and coupling the optical pump using an InGaAsP grating coupler that acts simultaneously as a WDM coupler and laser mirror.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A optically pumped, III-V silicon laser comprising:
a laser element having a gain medium disposed within a laser cavity that generates laser light in response to pump light;
a grating coupler for coupling the pump light emitted by a pump laser to the laser element;
wherein said grating coupler operates as a laser cavity mirror and pump coupler.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The laser according to claim 1 further comprising a silicon optical isolator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The laser according to claim 1 wherein the grating coupler includes a first-order Bragg grating at an end opposite a laser output.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The laser according to claim 1 wherein the pump laser operates to pump a section of an erbium fiber amplifier.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The laser according to claim 1 which is not actively cooled during laser operation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The laser according to claim 1 further comprising a silicon transceiver photonic integrated circuit to which the laser is coupled.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The laser according to claim 1 wherein the pump laser is configured to pump two or more lasers simultaneously.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The laser according to claim 1 further comprising a III-V waveguide that vertically couples the laser element to a silicon ring resonator.