Abstract:
A modular laser package system may be used to mount one type of laser package, such as a coaxial or TO (transistor outline) can laser package, to a circuit board, such as a transmitter board or a motherboard, designed to receive another type of laser package housing, such as a butterfly-type laser package housing. The modular laser package system may include a circuit board mounting platform, a laser housing mount to mount the laser package to the circuit board mounting platform, and a mounting base to facilitate mounting to the transmitter board or motherboard. The modular laser package system may also include a temperature control device, such as a thermo-electric cooler (TEC), and a temperature sensor, such as a thermistor, mounted to the laser housing mount to control and monitor the temperature of the laser package.
Abstract:
A laser for use in a laser transmitter may be heated to maintain an operating temperature of the laser above a temperature floor such that the operating temperature of the laser is allowed to vary within a reduced operating temperature range. The reduced operating temperature range of the laser thus allows the wavelength emitted by the laser to vary within a reduced range of emission wavelengths. In other words, the temperature floor reduces the temperature range experienced by the laser, which reduces the wavelength excursion. The operating temperature of the laser may be allowed to rise above the temperature floor without cooling the laser to stabilize the operating temperature.
Abstract:
A planar lightwave circuit (PLC) module (1220) for conditioning output from a tunable laser (1210) designed to generate light at a target wavelength. The PLC module (1220) has a substrate; a primary waveguide (1221) embedded in said substrate, said primary waveguide (1221) having an input end for receiving light from the tunable laser (1210) and an output end for outputting said light; and at least a first secondary waveguide (1223) embedded in said substrate, said first secondary waveguide (1223) receiving a first portion of said light from said tunable laser (1210). A filter (1227) having a pass band centered on the target wavelength is coupled to an output of the sirst secondary waveguide (1223) to receive said first portion of light, and generates a signal related to the intensity of said first portion of ligth in the pass band centered on the target wavelength. This may be used by a processor (1230) and associated laser control circuitry (1232) for wavelength locking purposes.
Abstract:
A multi-channel optical transceiver includes a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) with a thermal arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) for multiplexing optical signals and a receiver optical subassembly (ROSA) with an athermal AWG for demultiplexing optical signals. The TOSA may also include a laser array optically coupled to the thermal AWG and a temperature control system thermally coupled to the laser array and the thermal AWG to control temperature for wavelength tuning. The temperature control system in the TOSA may include a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) that cools both the laser array and the thermal AWG. Because the athermal AWG in the ROSA is temperature independent, the ROSA does not include a TEC, thereby reducing power consumption and conserving space. The optical transceiver may be used in a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical system, for example, in an optical line terminal (OLT) in a WDM passive optical network (PON).
Abstract:
A wavelength-selectable laser device generally includes an array of laser emitters and a filtered external cavity for filtering light emitted from the laser emitters and reflecting different wavelengths back to each of the laser emitters such that lasing occurs at different wavelengths for each of the laser emitters. Each laser emitter includes a gain region that emits light across a plurality of wavelengths including, for example, channel wavelengths in an optical communication system. The filtered external cavity may include a dispersive optical element that receives the light from each of the laser emitters at different angles and passes or reflects different wavelengths of the light at different angles such that only wavelengths associated with the respective laser emitters are reflected back to the respective laser emitters. By selectively emitting light from one or more of the laser emitters, one or more channel wavelengths may be selected for lasing and transmission.