Abstract: A carrier laser device assembly is provided in which a visible region of a laser that includes an output portion and/or output portion of a waveguide of the laser is visible to an imaging system when the laser is attached to a carrier. The laser may be burned-in and/or tested prior to attachment to a photonic integrated circuit. The output portion and/or output portion of waveguide may be aligned with a corresponding input portion and/or input portion of a waveguide of the PIC as the laser assembly is being attached to the PIC via imaging of the visible portion by the imaging system.

Abstract: A carrier laser device assembly is provided in which a visible region of a laser that includes an output portion and/or output portion of a waveguide of the laser is visible to an imaging system when the laser is attached to a carrier. The laser may be burned-in and/or tested prior to attachment to a photonic integrated circuit. The output portion and/or output portion of waveguide may be aligned with a corresponding input portion and/or input portion of a waveguide of the PIC as the laser assembly is being attached to the PIC via imaging of the visible portion by the imaging system.

Abstract: A carrier laser device assembly is provided in which a visible region of a laser that includes an output portion and/or output portion of a waveguide of the laser is visible to an imaging system when the laser is attached to a carrier. The laser may be burned-in and/or tested prior to attachment to a photonic integrated circuit. The output portion and/or output portion of waveguide may be aligned with a corresponding input portion and/or input portion of a waveguide of the PIC as the laser assembly is being attached to the PIC via imaging of the visible portion by the imaging system.

Abstract: A device and method for tuning a ring resonator using self-heating stabilization is provided. A light source is controlled to produce an optical signal, input to an optical ring resonator, at a power where self-heating shifts a resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator by at least 10 picometers, the self-heating comprising absorption in the optical ring resonator of optical power from a received optical signal. Prior to using the optical ring resonator at least one of modulate and filter the optical signal at the optical ring resonator, a heater of the optical ring resonator is controlled to an operating temperature at which the resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator is greater than a respective wavelength of the optical signal.

Abstract: A device and method for tuning a ring resonator using self-heating stabilization is provided. A light source is controlled to produce an optical signal, input to an optical ring resonator, at a power where self-heating shifts a resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator by at least 10 picometers, the self-heating comprising absorption in the optical ring resonator of optical power from a received optical signal. Prior to using the optical ring resonator at least one of modulate and filter the optical signal at the optical ring resonator, a heater of the optical ring resonator is controlled to an operating temperature at which the resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator is greater than a respective wavelength of the optical signal.

Abstract: A device and method for tuning a ring resonator using self-heating stabilization is provided. A light source is controlled to produce an optical signal, input to an optical ring resonator, at a power where self-heating shifts a resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator by at least 10 picometers, the self-heating comprising absorption in the optical ring resonator of optical power from a received optical signal. Prior to using the optical ring resonator at least one of modulate and filter the optical signal at the optical ring resonator, a heater of the optical ring resonator is controlled to an operating temperature at which the resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator is greater than a respective wavelength of the optical signal.

Abstract: A device and method for tuning a ring resonator using self-heating stabilization is provided. A light source is controlled to produce an optical signal, input to an optical ring resonator, at a power where self-heating shifts a resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator by at least 10 picometers, the self-heating comprising absorption in the optical ring resonator of optical power from a received optical signal. Prior to using the optical ring resonator at least one of modulate and filter the optical signal at the optical ring resonator, a heater of the optical ring resonator is controlled to an operating temperature at which the resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator is greater than a respective wavelength of the optical signal.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of resonance wavelength alignment for ring modulators is provided which includes: an optical input bus configured to convey a given optical input signal having a given optical frequency; an optical ring modulator configured to: receive and modulate the input signal from the input bus; an optical output bus configured to convey a modulated optical signal from the ring; a first optical tap on the input bus configured to sample the input signal; a second optical tap configured to sample the modulated signal; a controller in communication with the ring, the first tap and the second tap, the controller configured to: determine a current insertion loss of the ring from respective signals received from both the first tap and the second tap; and, control the ring in a feedback loop with the current insertion loss until the current insertion loss comprises a given insertion loss.

Abstract: A single laser multi-frequency transmitter is provided, comprising: a laser generating given modes; an optical input bus; a common optical output bus; coupling optics coupling the laser to the optical input bus; a plurality of ring resonator filters: arranged in series along the optical input bus in a one-to-one relationship with a sub-band of the given modes; optically coupled to both the optical input bus and the common optical output bus; and each configured to couple one respective frequency from the sub-band to the common optical output bus; and, a plurality of ring resonator modulators: arranged in series along the common optical output bus in a one-to-one relationship with the plurality of ring resonator filters; and each configured to modulate one given respective frequency from the sub-band so that all modes in the sub-band are modulated on the common optical output bus.

Abstract: Optical dispersion compensation devices are provided herein that are based on one or more optical ring resonators. The degree of dispersion compensation can be selected by controlling the degree of under-coupling and by tuning physical properties of the optical ring resonators. In a first implementation, an optical ring resonator under-coupled to an optical throughput bus can be used to provide positive or negative dispersion compensation depending on tuning of the optical ring resonator, which widens the dispersion window. In a second implementation, an over-coupled optical ring resonator can be added to the optical throughput bus to provide a cascaded filter. In a third implementation optical ring resonators arranged in series between an optical input bus and an optical output bus can be used to both tune dispersion compensation and provide demultiplexing.

Abstract: A single laser multi-frequency transmitter is provided, comprising: a laser generating given modes; an optical input bus; a common optical output bus; coupling optics coupling the laser to the optical input bus; a plurality of ring resonator filters: arranged in series along the optical input bus in a one-to-one relationship with a sub-band of the given modes; optically coupled to both the optical input bus and the common optical output bus; and each configured to couple one respective frequency from the sub-band to the common optical output bus; and, a plurality of ring resonator modulators: arranged in series along the common optical output bus in a one-to-one relationship with the plurality of ring resonator filters; and each configured to modulate one given respective frequency from the sub-band so that all modes in the sub-band are modulated on the common optical output bus.

Abstract: Optical dispersion compensation devices are provided herein that are based on one or more optical ring resonators. The degree of dispersion compensation can be selected by controlling the degree of under-coupling and by tuning physical properties of the optical ring resonators. In a first implementation, an optical ring resonator under-coupled to an optical throughput bus can be used to provide positive or negative dispersion compensation depending on tuning of the optical ring resonator, which widens the dispersion window. In a second implementation, an over-coupled optical ring resonator can be added to the optical throughput bus to provide a cascaded filter. In a third implementation optical ring resonators arranged in series between an optical input bus and an optical output bus can be used to both tune dispersion compensation and provide demultiplexing.

Abstract: A discretely tunable laser device is provided. The discretely tunable laser device comprises: a laser comprising a plurality of discrete output modes; an optical filter for receiving output from the laser but otherwise optically isolated from the laser, the optical filter comprising a plurality of transmission peaks, each separated by a transmission spacing different from a spacing of the plurality of discrete output modes such that only one discrete output mode can predominantly align with one transmission peak when the plurality of discrete output modes are tuned; and, a control apparatus for tuning the discrete output modes of the laser to align a given output mode of the plurality of discrete output modes with a given transmission peak of the plurality of transmission peaks, such that the given output mode comprises a dominant output of the optical filter.

Abstract: A discretely tunable locally seeded laser device is provided. The discretely tunable locally seeded laser device comprises: a first tunable laser comprising first discrete output modes; and, a second tunable laser arranged to receive output from the first tunable laser, but otherwise optically isolated from the first tunable laser, the second tunable laser comprising second discrete output modes, such that one first discrete output mode can optically seed an aligned second discrete output mode in a given position of one or more of the first discrete output modes and the second discrete output modes, the aligned second discrete output mode comprising a dominant output.

Abstract: A discretely tunable laser device is provided. The discretely tunable laser device comprises: a laser comprising a plurality of discrete output modes; an optical filter for receiving output from the laser but otherwise optically isolated from the laser, the optical filter comprising a plurality of transmission peaks, each separated by a transmission spacing different from a spacing of the plurality of discrete output modes such that only one discrete output mode can predominantly align with one transmission peak when the plurality of discrete output modes are tuned; and, a control apparatus for tuning the discrete output modes of the laser to align a given output mode of the plurality of discrete output modes with a given transmission peak of the plurality of transmission peaks, such that the given output mode comprises a dominant output of the optical filter.

Abstract: A method of reducing thermally-induced emission wavelength shift in laser diodes. In addition to the conventional ridge contact for supplying the modulation current to the laser diode a second ridge contact is formed on the device. A compensation current of substantially the same frequency as the modulation current but having an opposite phase is applied to the second contact. This compensation current is selected to substantially neutralize the transient temperature variations due to changes in the modulation signal and result in a generally steady state thermal situation.