Wavelength tunable array for data communications

摘要

Systems and apparatus for data communications comprising a plurality of wavelength tunable submodules in an array is provided. Each submodule has a wavelength tunable laser, and each submodule comprises, as an individual unit, a self-contained wavelength locker having optical and/or optoelectronic functions. The system may be a transponder array comprising a plurality of WDM or DWDM modules. In some embodiments, the individual submodules may comprise photonic integrated wavelength tunable lasers with other optical, electrical and optoelectronic components. Each wavelength tunable submodule incorporated into the module or array can have the same or different optical wavelength and other parameters including but not limited to modulation format. By utilizing the wavelength tunable laser submodules to build a module or array, the need for individual modules dedicated to wavelength sub-bands in the array is eliminated. The same tunable module can be used to fill all the wavelengths on a transmission fiber.

主权项

1. A module for optical communication, the module comprising:
a module housing; a control circuit disposed within the module housing; a plurality of wavelength tunable submodules disposed to form a wavelength tunable submodule array in electrical connection with the control circuit, each wavelength tunable submodule comprising a tunable laser and a device for locking the tunable laser to a selected wavelength, wherein each wavelength tunable submodule is interchangeable and individually programmable to operate at the selected wavelength, the selected wavelength of each wavelength tunable submodule being tunable to a different or same wavelength as each of the plurality of wavelength tunable submodules, and wherein the control circuit is configured to individually control the plurality of wavelength tunable submodules using two or more different control signals; and a signal combiner device coupled to the plurality of wavelength tunable submodules, wherein the plurality of wavelength tunable submodules is configured to operate as a parallel transceiver, independent transceiver, or a mixture of the parallel transceiver and independent transceiver.