Lasers & Sources

LioniX hybrid integrated laser reaches on-chip power high of 117 mW

Nov. 6, 2019

A narrow-linewidth tunable integrated laser based on low-loss silicon nitride based TriPleX and active indium phosphide components reaches an on-chip optical output of 20.7 dBm (117 mW).

John Wallace

LioniX International (LXI; Enschede, Netherlands) announced that it set a new record on-chip optical power for hybrid integrated lasers. By combining two platforms, low-loss silicon nitride (SiN)-based TriPleX waveguide technology and active indium phosphide (InP) components, LioniX created a narrow-linewidth tunable laser; recent improvements to the technology resulted in a record-high on-chip optical power of 20.7 dBm (117 mW), while keeping tunability over a range of almost 120 nm and showing a side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of greater than 50 dB.

The high output power of this laser and its low relative intensity noise (RIN) are ideal to achieve an efficient link gain in an analog photonic link, while simultaneously having a low noise figure.

To create the laser, a gain-section InP photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is attached to a tunable reflector PIC, creating a hybrid external-cavity laser. The gain section creates the first mirror as well as the gain, while the SiN-based TriPleX PIC acts as the tunable wavelength-dependent mirror.

For more info, see https://photonics.lionix-international.com/tunable-laser/?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=79031313&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-97Ui8ArKm4k41dxwckGJyGT7XnNv7G8J1ftC7OnBAGaS75jjHd2oGEazTNu_izPEq8SHpbDn2LcZ6JMfUjjRB7KruXBQ&_hsmi=79031313 and https://photonics.lionix-international.com/triplex-waveguide-technology/

About the Author

John Wallace | Senior Technical Editor (1998-2022)

John Wallace was with Laser Focus World for nearly 25 years, retiring in late June 2022. He obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and physics at Rutgers University and a master's in optical engineering at the University of Rochester. Before becoming an editor, John worked as an engineer at RCA, Exxon, Eastman Kodak, and GCA Corporation.