Directly Modulated Wavelength-Multiplexed Integrated Microring Laser Array

• Published in: IEEE photonics technology letters Vol. 20; no. 16; pp. 1411 - 1413
• Main Authors: Bennecer, A., Williams, K.A., Penty, R.V., White, I.H., Hamacher, M., Heidrich, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 15.08.2008; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Arrayed waveguide gratings; Bandwidth; Buses (vehicles); Channels; Coupling circuits; Data transmission; Devices; Distributed feedback devices; Energy consumption; Fiber lasers; Fiber optics; Integrated optoelectronics; Laser arrays; Microcavities; microresonators; Optical arrays; Optical fibers; Optical waveguides; Waveguide lasers; wavelength-division multiplexing; Wavelengths
• ISSN: 1041-1135; 1941-0174
• DOI: 10.1109/LPT.2008.927880

The first demonstration of a directly modulated microring laser array is presented for ON-OFF keyed, wavelength- division-multiplexed fiber-optic data transmission. GalnAsP-InP microring resonators oscillating at separate wavelengths in the 1.5-mum band are vertically coupled to a common passive waveguide bus, which is fabricated on the reverse side of the InP membrane. Two microrings defined with radii for a wavelength channel separation of 6 nm have been assessed for both individual and simultaneous operation. Negligible power penalty (<0.2 dB) is observed for wavelength-division-multiplexed operation with and without transmission over a 25-km fiber span in a manner which indicates low crosstalk between the integrated sources. A device area of less than 0.12 mm 2 per microring on a common passive bus allows a highly scalable solution for short-reach wavelength-multiplexed links.