Abstract

A tunable light source with narrow linewidth, small size and low power consumption is necessary for high-speed digital coherent communication system. We have developed a monolithically integrated narrow linewidth widely tunable laser—multi-channel interference (MCI) laser, which realizes a quasi-continuous tuning range covering the C++ band. By packaging the laser chip, wavelength locker and thermoelectric cooler (TEC) into a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) box and designing a compact print circuit board (PCB), a nano-integrable tunable laser assembly (Nano-ITLA) based on the thermo-optically tuned MCI laser is demonstrated for the first time. The Nano-ITLA is 25.0 mm (L) × 15.6 mm (W) × 6.5 mm (H), and realizes 120 International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-grid switching over 48 nm and less than 3 W total power consumption. The side-mode suppression ratios (SMSRs) are higher than 46 dB, the fiber coupled output powers are greater than 16 dBm, and the Lorentzian linewidths are less than 150 kHz. High precision wavelength locking and temperature control system make the output frequency deviation of all channels from the ITU-grid less than ±0.5 GHz and the wavelength drift less than ±1 pm. The output power can be accurately controlled and stabilized at ±0.1 dB through a closed-loop feedback. The no-light shutdown function realizes an extinction ratio higher than 40 dB during wavelength switching. The Nano-ITLA demonstrates excellent application potential in the coherent optical communications.

Narrow linewidth electro-optically tuned multi-channel interference widely tunable semiconductor laser

Kuankuan Wang, Quanan Chen, Chun Jiang, Zifeng Chen, Su Tan, Mingzhi Lu, Qiaoyin Lu, and Weihua Guo
Opt. Express 31(3) 4497-4506 (2023)

Narrow-linewidth thermally tuned multi-channel interference widely tunable semiconductor laser with thermal tuning power below 50  mW

Quanan Chen, Chun Jiang, Kuankuan Wang, Miao Zhang, Xiang Ma, Ye Liu, Qiaoyin Lu, and Weihua Guo
Photon. Res. 8(5) 671-676 (2020)

Narrow-linewidth thermally tuned multi-channel interference laser integrated with a SOA and spot size converter

Chun Jiang, Quanan Chen, Kuankuan Wang, Qiaoyin Lu, Mingzhi Lu, and Weihua Guo
Opt. Express 29(9) 13246-13255 (2021)

Butterfly-packaged multi-channel interference widely tunable semiconductor laser with improved performance

Quanan Chen, Kuankuan Wang, Chun Jiang, Xiang Ma, Ye Liu, Qiaoyin Lu, and Weihua Guo
Opt. Express 29(5) 6344-6355 (2021)

Theory and simulation of multi-channel interference (MCI) widely tunable lasers

Quanan Chen, Qiaoyin Lu, and Weihua Guo
Opt. Express 23(14) 18040-18051 (2015)