Method and system for partial integration of wavelength division multiplexing and bi-directional solutions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9841560-B2
Application number	US-201615269104-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2016
Priority date	Sep 18, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems for partial integration of wavelength division multiplexing and bi-directional solutions are disclosed and may include, an optical transceiver on a silicon photonics integrated circuit coupled to a planar lightwave circuit (PLC). The silicon photonics integrated circuit may include a first modulator and first light source that operates at a first wavelength and a second modulator and second light source that operates at a second wavelength. The transceiver and PLC are operable to modulate a first continuous wave (CW) optical signal from the first light source utilizing the first modulator driven by a first electrical signal and modulate a second CW optical signal from the second light source utilizing the second modulator driven by a second electrical signal. The modulated signals may be communicated from the modulators to the PLC utilizing a first pair of grating couplers in the IC and combined in the PLC.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for optical communication, the method comprising:
in an optical transceiver on a silicon photonics integrated circuit coupled to a planar lightwave circuit (PLC), said silicon photonics integrated circuit comprising a first modulator and first light source that operates at a first wavelength coupled to said silicon photonics integrated circuit and a second modulator and second light source that operates at a second wavelength coupled to said silicon photonics integrated circuit:
modulating a first continuous wave (CW) optical signal from said first light source utilizing said first modulator driven by a first electrical signal;
modulating a second CW optical signal from said second light source utilizing said second modulator driven by a second electrical signal;
communicating first and second modulated signals from said first and second modulators to said PLC utilizing a first pair of grating couplers in said silicon photonics integrated circuit;
combining said first and second modulated signals in said PLC;
receiving a third modulated optical signal via said PLC;
splitting said third modulated optical signal into fourth and fifth modulated optical signals in said PLC;
communicating said fourth and fifth modulated optical signals to a second pair of grating couplers in said silicon photonics integrated circuit;
converting said fourth modulated optical signal to a third electrical signal utilizing a first photodetector configured to detect at said first wavelength; and
converting said fifth modulated optical signal to a fourth electrical signal utilizing a second photodetector configured to detect at said second wavelength.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said PLC comprises a directional coupler.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second light sources are in a light source assembly coupled to a surface of the silicon photonics integrated circuit.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said PLC comprises optical splitters.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first pair of grating couplers comprise single polarization grating couplers.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said second pair of grating couplers comprise polarization splitting grating couplers.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said PLC comprises an interleaver multiplexer and an interleaver demultiplexer.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said silicon photonics integrated circuit comprises a multiplexer for combining said first and second modulated optical signals.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said silicon photonics integrated circuit comprises a demultiplexer for separating said fourth and fifth modulated optical signals.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the silicon photonics integrated circuit is in a complementary-metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) die.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:
an optical transceiver on a silicon photonics integrated circuit coupled to a planar lightwave circuit (PLC), said silicon photonics integrated circuit comprising a first modulator and first light source that operates at a first wavelength coupled to said silicon photonics integrated circuit and a second modulator and second light source that operates at a second wavelength coupled to said silicon photonics integrated circuit, said system being operable to:
modulate a first continuous wave (CW) optical signal from said first light source utilizing said first modulator driven by a first electrical signal;
modulate a second CW optical signal from said second light source utilizing said second modulator driven by a second electrical signal;
communicate first and second modulated signals from said first and second modulators to said PLC utilizing a first pair of grating couplers in said silicon photonics integrated circuit;
combine said first and second modulated signals in said PLC;
receive a third modulated optical signal via said PLC;
split said third modulated optical signal into fourth and fifth modulated optical signals in said PLC;
communicate said fourth and fifth modulated optical signals to a second pair of grating couplers in said silicon photonics integrated circuit;
convert said fourth modulated optical signal to a third electrical signal utilizing a first photodetector configured to detect at said first wavelength; and
convert said fifth modulated optical signal to a fourth electrical signal utilizing a second photodetector configured to detect at said second wavelength.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said PLC comprises a directional coupler.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said first and second light sources are in a light source assembly coupled to a surface of the silicon photonics integrated circuit.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said PLC comprises optical splitters.

15. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said first pair of grating couplers comprise single polarization grating couplers.

16. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said second pair of grating couplers comprise polarization splitting grating couplers.

17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said PLC comprises an interleaver multiplexer and an interleaver demultiplexer.

18. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said silicon photonics integrated circuit comprises a multiplexer for combining said first and second modulated optical signals.

19. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said silicon photonics integrated circuit comprises a demultiplexer for separating said fourth and fifth modulated optical signals.

20. A system for communication, the system comprising:
an optical transceiver on a silicon photonics integrated circuit coupled to a planar lightwave circuit (PLC), said silicon photonics integrated circuit comprising a first modulator and first light source that operates at a first wavelength coupled to said silicon photonics integrated circuit and a second modulator and second light source that operates at a second wavelength coupled to said silicon photonics integrated circuit, said system being operable to:
modulate a first continuous wave (CW) optical signal from said first light source utilizing said first modulator driven by a first electrical signal;
modulate a second CW optical signal from said second light source utilizing said second modulator driven by a second electrical signal;
communicate first and second modulated signals from said first and second modulators to said PLC utilizing a first pair of single polarization grating couplers in said silicon photonics integrated circuit;
combine said first and second modulated signals in said PLC;
receive a third modulated optical signal via said PLC;
split said third modulated optical signal into fourth and fifth modulated optical signals utilizing an optical splitter in said PLC;
communicate said fourth and fifth modulated optical signals to a pair of polarization splitting grating couplers in said silicon photonics integrated circuit;
convert said fourth modulated optical signal to a third electrical signal utilizing a first photodetector configured to detect at said first wavelength; and
convert said fifth modulated optical signal to a fourth electrical signal utilizing a second photodetector configured to detect at said second wavelength.

Assignees

• Luxtera Inc

Inventors

• Welch Brian
• Mekis Attila
• Gloeckner Steffan

Classifications

• H04B10/801

  using optical interconnects, e.g. light coupled isolators, circuit board interconnections · CPC title

• G02B2006/12142

  Modulator · CPC title

• G02B6/29386

  Interleaving or deinterleaving, i.e. separating or mixing subsets of optical signals, e.g. combining even and odd channels into a single optical signal · CPC title

• G02B6/125

  Bends, branchings or intersections · CPC title

• H04B10/40 Primary

  Transceivers · CPC title