Method and system for integrated DWDM transmitters

An integrated dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) transmitter apparatus that converts multiple electrical signals to a multiple-channel DWDM signal, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of input terminals for receiving the multiple electrical signals;
• a support component;
• a silica-on-silicon substrate overlying the support component, the silica-on-silicon substrate including a silica layer overlying a silicon layer, the silica-on-silicon substrate having a substrate surface which includes a first surface region and a second surface region, the first surface region and the second surface region not being coplanar;
• one or more semiconductor laser array chips formed of indium phosphide (InP) coupled to the plurality of input terminals for receiving the multiple electrical signals and converting the multiple electrical signals to corresponding multiple optical signals, the one or more semiconductor laser array chips bonded to the first surface region of the silica-on-silicon substrate, each of the one or more laser array chips including two or more lasers;
• and
• an optical multiplexer coupled to the one or more semiconductor laser array chips for converting the multiple optical signals to the multiple-channel DWDM signal, the optical multiplexer being located within the silica layer under the second surface region and overlying at least a portion of the silicon layer, the optical multiplexer including:
• a plurality of input waveguides each of which coupled to a corresponding laser for receiving a corresponding optical signal;
• and
• at least an output waveguide for outputting the multiple-channel DWDM signal.