Adaptive thermal control for micro-ring modulators in photonic links

An apparatus for adaptive thermal control of a micro-ring modulator in a photonic link, comprising:

• a micro-ring modulator configured to receive a modulation data signal from a signal source;
• an adaptive thermal control unit to receive the modulation data signal from the signal source and generate a reference power value based on a duty cycle of the modulation data signal;
• a sensing circuit configured to sense an average optical power at a drop port of the micro-ring modulator;
• an adder to produce an error signal from the sensed average optical power and the reference power value;
• and
• a controller configured to use the error signal to regulate a heater associated with the micro-ring modulator, the controller maintaining a resonant wavelength of the micro-ring modulator based on using the error signal.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a control system, cause the control system to:

• receive a modulation data signal for driving a micro-ring modulator;
• generate a reference power value based on a duty cycle of the modulation data signal;
• sense an average optical power at a drop port of the micro-ring modulator;
• compare the sensed average optical power to the generated reference power value to produce an error signal;
• and
• use the error signal to regulate a heater associated with the micro-ring modulator to maintain a resonant wavelength of the micro-ring modulator.