Fingertip-speck chip contains tunable laser and modulator

Oct. 1, 2007
Before tunable lasers, network operators had to use expensive, bulky fixed-wavelength lasers, a burden at all levels of the supply chain.

Before tunable lasers, network operators had to use expensive, bulky fixed-wavelength lasers, a burden at all levels of the supply chain. Optical communications corporation JDSU (Milpitas, CA) has demonstrated a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that incorporates a widely tunable laser and a Mach-Zehnder modulator onto a single chip. Small enough to fit on the tip of a finger, the transmitter chip is intended for dense wavelength-division-multiplexing communications systems at infrared wavelengths between 1528 and 1568 nm.

Click here to enlarge image

When packaged, the chip will be capable of producing +5 dBm of modulated power in an optical fiber while consuming less than 1.5 W of power over a temperature range of -5°C to 70°C. The transponders and transceivers that use the chip will be able to accommodate dispersion-limited transmission over distances of up to 100 km at rates greater than 11.3 Gbit/s, scalable to 40 Gbit/s. Measuring only 4 mm long, the chip enables communications systems to use significantly smaller transceivers, such as the 300-pin small-form-factor and pluggable small-form-factor devices. The company expects to have products containing the PIC available in 2008. Contact Greg Fish at [email protected]. (Photo courtesy of JDSU)

Sponsored Recommendations

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) electrode manufacturing

Jan. 31, 2025
Learn how an industry-leading Brain Computer Interface Electrode (BCI) manufacturer used precision laser micromachining to produce high-density neural microelectrode arrays.

Electro-Optic Sensor and System Performance Verification with Motion Systems

Jan. 31, 2025
To learn how to use motion control equipment for electro-optic sensor testing, click here to read our whitepaper!

How nanopositioning helped achieve fusion ignition

Jan. 31, 2025
In December 2022, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved fusion ignition. Learn how Aerotech nanopositioning contributed to this...

Nanometer Scale Industrial Automation for Optical Device Manufacturing

Jan. 31, 2025
In optical device manufacturing, choosing automation technologies at the R&D level that are also suitable for production environments is critical to bringing new devices to market...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!