Method and apparatus for tunable wavelength conversion using a bragg grating and a laser in a semiconductor substrate

A method, comprising:

• directing an input optical signal having a first wavelength and including data encoded therein into a gain medium disposed in a semiconductor substrate to stimulate emission of light from the gain medium in a laser cavity disposed in the semiconductor substrate, the emitted light having at least one tunable center wavelength distinct from the first wavelength and including the data modulated therewith;
• reflecting the light having the tunable center wavelength from a first end of the laser cavity to further stimulate emission of light having the tunable center wavelength in the laser cavity, the light having the tunable center wavelength being reflected from the first end of the laser cavity by a tunable Bragg grating including a plurality of interfaces along the semiconductor substrate to form a plurality of perturbations of a refractive index along the tunable Bragg grating;
• and
• transmitting at least a portion of the light having the tunable center wavelength from a second end of the laser cavity.

A system, comprising:

• an optical communication network;
• and
• a tunable wavelength converter, optically coupled to the optical communication network, the tunable wavelength converter comprising,
• a gain medium disposed in a semiconductor substrate, the gain medium to receive an input optical signal having a first wavelength and including data encoded therein,
• a laser cavity disposed in the semiconductor substrate, the laser cavity optically coupled to the gain medium,
• a first reflector defining a first end of the laser cavity, the first reflector including a tunable Bragg grating disposed in the semiconductor substrate, the tunable Bragg grating including a plurality of interfaces along the semiconductor substrate to form a plurality of perturbations of a refractive index along the tunable Bragg grating to selectively reflect light having a tunable center wavelength distinct from the first wavelength to cause stimulated emission of light having the tunable center wavelength in the laser cavity, the light having the tunable center wavelength corresponding to an emission generated by the gain medium and modulated with the data in response to an interaction with the input optical signal, and
• a second reflector defining a second end of the laser cavity, the second reflector capable to at least partially transmit the light having the tunable center wavelength.