Optical transmitter and receiver device with a single optical module

摘要

In an optical transmitter and receiver device, a transmitter receives a transmitting data signal and drives a laser diode to make the laser diode emit an optical data signal representative of the transmitting data signal. The laser diode simultaneously emits a backward optical leakage signal. A photodiode is disposed at a rear side of the laser diode and detects the backward optical leakage signal as an optical monitoring signal to produce an electric monitoring signal. The transmitter receives the electrical monitoring signal to control an output power of the laser diode at a stabilized level. When the transmitter receives no transmitting data signal, the laser diode functions as an optical amplifier for an incoming optical data signal thereto and delivers an amplified optical data signal to the photodiode. The photodiode converts the amplified optical data signal to an electrical reception signal. A receiver receives and decides the electrical reception signal to produce a received data signal representative of the incoming optical data signal. Thus, the laser diode and the photodiode can be formed in a single optical module so that the optical transmitter and receiver can be reduced in size and cost.