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 digital signal channel bypass is provided as bypass around an optical network optical amplifier, in particular, an analog type optical amplifier, such as an EDFA, in an optical transport network or system. The digital signal bypass provides for an ability to maintain the existing optical amplifier OO amplification site while inserting a bypass that provides ultra low-cost OEO REGEN in a digital optical network (DON) utilizing both semiconductor electronic integrated circuit chips and semiconductor photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chips where all the optical components are in semiconductor integrated chip form providing 1R, 2R, 3R or 4R regeneration as well as other signal caring functionality. A salient feature of the digital signal bypass is to regenerate signals in the optical span that are outside the gain bandwidth of the EDFA or other such amplifier.

Abstract: A digital optical network (DON) is a new approach to low-cost, more compact optical transmitter modules and optical receiver modules for deployment in optical transport networks (OTNs). One important aspect of a digital optical network is the incorporation in these modules of transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chips and receiver photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chips in lieu of discrete modulated sources and detector sources with discrete multiplexers or demultiplexers.

Abstract: A C- and/or L-band booster optical amplifier is utilized at the output of a semiconductor transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chip or the optical combined outputs of multiple semiconductor transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chips employed in an optical communication module, the deployment of integrated semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) on th TxPIC chips can be eliminated. This would reduce both the complexity in designing and fabricating these chips as well as reducing the power consumption of the TxPIC chips. The deployment of such a Tx booster optical amplifier would also take into consideration the nonlinear effects of difficult high loss single mode fiber (SMF) or other fiber type links by allowing a higher power per channel to be achieved compared to the case where channel amplification is attempted solely on the TxPIC 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.