Method And System For Partial Integration Of Wavelength Division Multiplexing And Bi-Directional Solutions

• US 20170082801A1
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Luxtera Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Welch, Brian, Mekis, Attila, Gloeckner, Steffan
• Granted Patent: US 9,841,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12142 Modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12004 Combinations of two or more optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/124 Geodesic lenses or integrated gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/125 Bends, branchings or intersections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29386 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 Class Codes: G02B 6/4213 the intermediate optical elements being polarisation selective optical elements G02B6/27 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4215 the intermediate optical elements being wavelength selective optical elements, e.g. variable wavelength optical modules or wavelength lockers G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/801 using optical interconnects, e.g. light coupled isolators, circuit board interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0256 at the optical channel layer

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.

Claims

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.