Electro-absorption modulated 53 Gbps widely tunable laser based on half-wave V-coupled cavities

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Semiconductor Devices
• Optical Communications

Background:

• Advancements in optical communication systems require high-speed, tunable transmitters.
• Integration of laser and modulator components is crucial for compact and efficient designs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally demonstrate a 53 Gbps widely tunable transmitter for the first time.
• To investigate the performance of an integrated V-coupled cavity laser (VCL) and electro-absorption modulator (EAM) device.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an InGaAlAs/InP multiple-quantum-well (MQW) wafer with identical layer structures for VCL and EAM.
• Employed a shallow-etched waveguide for the VCL to minimize loss and a deep-etched waveguide for the EAM to enhance modulation bandwidth.
• Experimentally tuned the transmitter wavelength across 42 channels (100 GHz spacing) by varying temperature from 19.5 to 30°C.

Main Results:

• Achieved a wavelength tuning range of 32.6 nm (1538.94 to 1571.54 nm).
• Demonstrated a static extinction ratio (ER) > 14 dB for all channels.
• Measured a 3-dB electro-optic (E0) bandwidth > 40 GHz.
• Confirmed clear open eye diagrams at 53 Gbps non-return-to-zero (NRZ) signal with dynamic ER > 4.5 dB.

Conclusions:

• The demonstrated tunable transmitter meets the demands for high-speed optical networks.
• The integrated VCL-EAM design offers a promising solution for future optical communication transceivers.