Abstract: A monolithic photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip where the active waveguide cores of the modulated sources of the PIC are multiple quantum wells (MQWs) and the passive waveguide cores of an optical combiner are a bulk layer or material. The cores of the waveguide cores may be a quaternary such as InGaAsP or InAlGaAs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention route a WDM signal across multiple communication paths using skew characteristics of at least some of the communication paths. The network is an optical transport network, using either circuit or packet based switching, and wavelength division multiplexed wavelengths and/or optical carrier groups (“OCGs”) over a fiber link to another node in the network. The plurality of communication paths involves different signal and path attributes such as a plurality of carrier wavelengths, optical carrier groups, physical communication paths (different nodes, different fibers along a same path, or any combination of the foregoing), or any other differentiating factors between two paths.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip comprising an array of modulated sources, each providing a modulated signal output at a channel wavelength different from the channel wavelength of other modulated sources and a wavelength selective combiner having an input optically coupled to received all the signal outputs from the modulated sources and provide a combined output signal on an output waveguide from the chip. The modulated sources, combiner and output waveguide are all integrated on the same chip.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip comprising an array of modulated sources, each providing a modulated signal output at a channel wavelength different from the channel wavelength of other modulated sources and a wavelength selective combiner having an input optically coupled to received all the signal outputs from the modulated sources and provide a combined output signal on an output waveguide from the chip. The modulated sources, combiner and output waveguide are all integrated on the same chip.

Abstract: A method of tuning optical components integrated on a monolithic semiconductor chip having a plurality of first optical components integrated on the chip with each fabricated to approximate an emission wavelength along a given wavelength grid and together forming a first optical component wavelength grid. A second optical component is integrated on the chip with and optically coupled to the group of first optical components. The second optical component has a second optical component wavelength grid approximating the given wavelength grid where at least one emission peak along the second optical component wavelength grid is within an acceptable wavelength tolerance range of a particular first optical component of the first optical component wavelength grid but not the same as a corresponding emission wavelength of a particular first optical component.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip comprising an array of modulated sources, each providing a modulated signal output at a channel wavelength different from the channel wavelength of other modulated sources and a wavelength selective combiner having an input optically coupled to received all the signal outputs from the modulated sources and provide a combined output signal on an output waveguide from the chip. The modulated sources, combiner and output waveguide are all integrated on the same chip.

Abstract: Cleaved grooves, also referred to herein as “cleave streets”, are formed exclusively in a wafer passivation layer overlaying a wafer to provide for correctly aligned and sharp cleaves prior to singulation of the wafer into separate die or chips.

Abstract: An optical transport network comprises a monolithic transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) InP-based chip and a monolithic receiver photonic integrated circuit (RxPIC) InP-based chip.

Abstract: A monolithic transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chip and a monolithic receiver photonic integrated circuit (RxPIC) chip include a plurality of optical signal channels together with other active elements integrated on a semiconductor chip, which chips further include an optical combiner or decombiner that is a wavelength selective comprising a supergrating or an Echelle grating which provides for a more compact chip compared to an integrated on-chip arrayed waveguide grating functioning as a wavelength selective combiner or decombiner.

Abstract: In photonic integrated circuits (PICs) having at least one active semiconductor device, such as, a buried heterostructure semiconductor laser, LED, modulator, photodiode, heterojunction bipolar transistor, field effect transistor or other active device, a plurality of semiconductor layers are formed on a substrate with one of the layers being an active region. A current channel is formed through this active region defined by current blocking layers formed on adjacent sides of a designated active region channel where the blocking layers substantially confine the current through the channel. The blocking layers are characterized by being an aluminum-containing Group III-V compound, i.e., an Al-III-V layer, intentionally doped with oxygen from an oxide source. Also, wet oxide process or a deposited oxide source may be used to laterally form a native oxide of the Al-III-V layer.

Abstract: An optical transmitter comprises a monolithic transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chip that includes an array of modulated sources formed on the PIC chip and having different operating wavelengths approximating a standardized wavelength grid and providing signal outputs of different wavelengths. A wavelength selective combiner is formed on the PIC chip having a wavelength grid passband response approximating the wavelength grid of the standardized wavelength grid. The signal outputs of the modulated sources optically coupled to inputs of the wavelength selective combiner to produce a combined signal output from the combiner. A first wavelength tuning element coupled to each of the modulated sources and a second wavelength tuning element coupled to the wavelength selective combiner. A wavelength monitoring unit is coupled to the wavelength selective combiner to sample the combined signal output.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for optimizing optical channel signal demultiplexing in a monolithic receiver photonic integrated circuit (RxPIC) chip by providing an integrated channel signal demultiplexing with multiple waveguide input verniers provided to an WDM signal demultiplexer. The RxPIC chip may optionally include an integrated amplifier in at least some of the waveguide input verniers. The RxPIC chip may be comprised of, in monolithic form, a plurality of optional semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) at the input of the chip to receive a WDM signal from an optical link which is provided along a plurality of waveguide input verniers to an integrated optical demultiplexer, such as, but not limited to, an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), as a WDM signal demultiplexer. Thus, optical outputs from the respective semiconductor laser amplifiers are provided as vernier inputs to the optical demultiplexer forming a plurality of input verniers at the input to the optical demultiplexer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus operates an array of laser sources as an integrated array on a single substrate or as integrated in an optical transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) maintaining the emission wavelengths of such integrated laser sources at their targeted emission wavelengths or at least to more approximate their desired respective emission wavelengths. Wavelength changing elements may accompany the laser sources to bring about the change in their operational or emission wavelength to be corrected to or toward the desired or target emission wavelength. The wavelength changing elements may be comprise of temperature changing elements, current and voltage changing elements or bandgap changing elements.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of in-wafer testing of integrated optical components and in-wafer chips with photonic integrated circuits (PICs).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of in-wafer testing of integrated optical components and in-wafer chips with photonic integrated circuits (PICs).

Abstract: An optical-to-electrical-to-optical converter comprises a monolithic receiver photonic integrated circuit (RxPIC) InP-based chip comprising an optical waveguide formed in the chip from a chip input to receive a first multiplexed channel signal from an optical link and provide them to an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) which demultiplexes the multiplexed channel signals and provides a plurality of electrical channel signals to an electronic regenerator. The regenerator regenerates the electrical channel signals to an original signal waveform and provides the reformed electrical signals to a monolithic transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) InP-based chip having an array of modulated sources formed in the chip that are coupled as inputs to an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). The TxPIC modulates the reformed electrical signals to form a plurality of optical channel sign which are combined to form a second first multiplexed channel signal for transmission on an optical link.

Abstract: In photonic integrated circuits (PICs) having at least one active semiconductor device, such as, a buried heterostructure semiconductor laser, LED, modulator, photodiode, heterojunction bipolar transistor, field effect transistor or other active device, a plurality of semiconductor layers are formed on a substrate with one of the layers being an active region. A current channel is formed through this active region defined by current blocking layers formed on adjacent sides of a designated active region channel where the blocking layers substantially confine the current through the channel. The blocking layers are characterized by being an aluminum-containing Group III-V compound, i.e., an Al-III-V layer, intentionally doped with oxygen from an oxide source. Also, wet oxide process or a deposited oxide source may be used to laterally form a native oxide of the Al-III-V layer.

Abstract: Photonic integrated circuits (PICs), also referred to as opto-electronic integrated circuits (OEICs), and more particularly to a PIC in the form of an optical receiver PIC or RxPIC chip and an optical transmitter PIC (TxPIC) are employed in an optical transport network. Integrated on the RxPIC chip, starting at the input end which is coupled to receive multiplexed optical data signals from an optical transport network is an optical amplifier, an optical demultiplexer, and a plurality of on-chip photodiodes (PDs) each to receive a demultiplexed data signal from the AWG DEMUX for optical-to-electrical signal conversion. The optical input amplifier may be an on-chip gain clamped semiconductor optical amplifier (GC-SOA) or an off-chip fiber amplifier. The optical input amplifier may be optional if the channel signal demultiplexer provides for minimal insertion loss which is optimum with a properly designed arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) demultiplexer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of adjusting a center channel wavelength of a group of channel wavelengths from of a plurality of modulated sources, integrated in a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), relative to the center of a wavelength passband of an optical combiner, such as an arrayed waveguide array (AWG), also integrated in the photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and optically coupled to outputs from the modulated sources.

Abstract: An optical transmitter comprises a monolithic transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chip that includes an array of modulated sources formed on the PIC chip and having different operating wavelengths approximating a standardized wavelength grid and providing signal outputs of different wavelengths. A wavelength selective combiner is formed on the PIC chip having a wavelength grid passband response approximating the wavelength grid of the standardized wavelength grid. The signal outputs of the modulated sources optically coupled to inputs of the wavelength selective combiner to produce a combined signal output from the combiner. A first wavelength tuning element coupled to each of the modulated sources and a second wavelength tuning element coupled to the wavelength selective combiner. A wavelength monitoring unit is coupled to the wavelength selective combiner to sample the combined signal output.