Dual-facet distributed feedback laser in Mach-Zehnder modulator structure

Inventors: Paraskevas Bakopoulos (Ilion, GR); Dimitrios Kalavrouziotis (Papagou, GR); Moshe Oron (Rehovot, IL); Nikolaos Argyris (Zografou, GR); Elad Mentovich (Tel Aviv, IL)

Assignee: Mellanox Technologies, Ltd.

G02F1/212 G02F1/225

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12693570
App. No.: 17/870,220
Granted: Jul 28, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed for providing a dual-facet distributed feedback (DFB) laser in a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) structure. An example system includes an MZM structure that includes a DFB laser, a first waveguide interferometer arm structure, and a second waveguide interferometer arm structure. The DFB laser is configured to generate an optical input signal where the DFB laser includes a first output facet and a second output facet. The first waveguide interferometer arm structure is coupled to the first output facet of the DFB laser, and the first output facet of the DFB laser emits the optical input signal to the first waveguide interferometer arm structure. The second waveguide interferometer arm structure is coupled to the second output facet of the DFB laser, and the second output facet of the DFB laser emits the optical input signal to the second waveguide interferometer arm structure.

Claims (37)

1 . A system comprising:

a first distributed feedback (DFB) laser configured to generate a first optical input signal, wherein the DFB laser comprises a first output facet and a second output facet;

a second distributed feedback (DFB) laser configured to generate a second optical input signal, wherein the DFB laser comprises a first output facet and a second output facet;

a first Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) structure comprising at least:

a first waveguide interferometer arm structure coupled to the second output facet of the second DFB laser, wherein the second output facet of the second DFB laser is configured to emit the second optical input signal to the first waveguide interferometer arm structure; and

a second waveguide interferometer arm structure coupled to the first output facet of the first DFB laser, wherein the first output facet of the first DFB laser is configured to emit the first optical input signal to the second waveguide interferometer arm structure; and

a second MZM structure switchably coupled with the first output facet of the second DFB laser, wherein:

the second DFB laser is configured to operate in response to a failure condition associated with the first DFB laser; and

the first DFB laser is configured to operate in response to a failure condition associated with the second DFB laser.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first waveguide interferometer arm structure comprises one or more first electrodes, and the second waveguide interferometer arm structure comprises one or more second electrodes.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first electrodes comprise at least a first phase modulating electrode of the first waveguide interferometer arm structure, and the one or more second electrodes comprise at least a second phase modulating electrode of the second waveguide interferometer arm structure.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first electrodes comprise at least a first intensity modulating electrode of the first waveguide interferometer arm structure, and the one or more second electrodes comprise at least a second intensity modulating electrode of the second waveguide interferometer arm structure.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first waveguide interferometer arm structure comprises a first tunable optical filter, and the second waveguide interferometer arm structure comprises a first tunable optical filter.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first and/or the second tunable optical filters comprise a microring modulator.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first and the second output facets of the first DFB laser and the first and the second outputs of the second DFB laser are coupled to an array of optical waveguide MZMs via a switchable waveguide network.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second MZM structure further comprises a second waveguide interferometer arm structure coupled to the first output facet of the second DFB laser.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second MZM structure further comprises a first waveguide interferometer arm structure coupled to a third DFB laser.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a third MZM structure coupled with the first DFB laser.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the third MZM structure further comprises a first waveguide interferometer arm structure coupled to the second output facet of the first DFB laser.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first MZM structure and the second MZM structure are integrated on a photonic integrated circuit.

13 . A system comprising:

a first distributed feedback (DFB) laser configured to generate a first optical input signal, wherein the DFB laser comprises a first output facet and a second output facet;

a second distributed feedback (DFB) laser configured to generate a second optical input signal, wherein the DFB laser comprises a first output facet and a second output facet;

a first Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) structure comprising at least:

wherein the first and the second output facets of the first DFB laser and the first and the second outputs of the second DFB laser are coupled to an array of optical waveguide MZMs via a switchable waveguide network, such that the first MZM is configured to selectively operate using the first DFB laser or the second DFB laser via the switchable waveguide network that maintains phase-coherence between the first output facet and the second output facet of one of the first DFB laser or the second DFB laser.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the second DFB laser is configured to operate in response to a failure condition associated with the first DFB laser; and

the first DFB laser is configured to operate in response to a failure condition associated with the second DFB laser.

15 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a second MZM structure coupled with the first output facet of the second DFB laser.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the second MZM structure further comprises a second waveguide interferometer arm structure coupled to the first output facet of the second DFB laser.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the second MZM structure further comprises a first waveguide interferometer arm structure coupled to a third DFB laser.

18 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising a third MZM structure coupled with the first DFB laser.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the third MZM structure further comprises a first waveguide interferometer arm structure coupled to the second output facet of the first DFB laser.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first MZM structure and the second MZM structure are integrated on a photonic integrated circuit.

21 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the first waveguide interferometer arm structure comprises one or more first electrodes, and the second waveguide interferometer arm structure comprises one or more second electrodes.