Method and apparatus for temperature stabilization of a wavelength of a laser

1. A method of temperature stabilization of a wavelength of a laser, comprising:

measuring a representative temperature of the laser;

measuring the wavelength using an internal etalon of the wavelength; defining a correction factor for the etalon using an external meter of the wavelength; and

operating a module defining the representative temperature at a set point corresponding to a generation of an optical power at a wavelength equal to a sum of the wavelength measured using the internal etalon and the correction factor;

wherein the correction factor is defined using a method, comprising:

(a) measuring the wavelength of the laser using the internal etalon;

(b) measuring the wavelength of the laser using the external meter;

(c) measuring the representative temperature;

(d) modifying a bias current of a laser chip of the laser;

(e) adjusting the representative temperature until the external meter measures the same wavelength as at the step (b);

(f) defining a difference in the representative temperature at the steps (c) and (e); and

(g) measuring the wavelength using the internal etalon.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wavelength of the laser k measured using the external meter prior to operating the laser in an optical transmission system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the correction factor is defined prior to operating the laser in an optical transmission system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the representative temperature is a temperature selected from the group consisting of a temperature of a laser chip of the laser, temperature of the internal etalon, a temperature of the module, a temperature of a submount housing the laser chip and the internal etalon, and a temperature of a medium between the laser Chip, the internal etalon, and the module.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the module comprises a thermoelectric cooler/heater.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the representative temperature is measured using a thermistor or a thermocouple.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein an accuracy of the external meter is equal or greater the accuracy of the internal etalon.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the internal etalon measures the wavelength using a method, comprising:

defining a ratio between a first electrical signal proportional to the output power at an input of the internal etalon and a second electrical signal proportional to the output power at an output of the internal etalon.

9. A method of temperature stabilization of a wavelength of a laser, comprising:

measuring a representative temperature of the laser;

measuring the wavelength using an internal etalon of the wavelength;

defining a correction factor for the etalon using an external meter of the wavelength; and

operating a module defining the representative temperature at a set point corresponding to a generation of an otical power at a wavelenqth equal to a sum of the wavelength measured using the internal etalon and the correction factor;

wherein the laser comprises:

a laser chip disposed on a submount;

the internal etalon disposed on the submount;

the module controlling a temperature of the faser chip and the internal etalon;

a temperature sensor;

a photodetector of an optical signal proportional to a laser output power at an input of the internal etalon; and

a photodetector of an optical signal proportional to the laser output power at an output of the internal etalon.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the wavelength of the laser is measured using the external meter prior to operating the laser in an optical transmission system.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the correction factor is defined prior to operating the laser in an optical transmission system.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the representative temperature is a temperature selected from the group consisting of a temperature of a laser chip of the laser, temperature of the internal etalon, a temperature of the module, a temperature of a submount housing the laser chip and the internal etalon, and a temperature of a medium between the laser chip, the internal etalon, and the module.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the module comprises a thermoelectric cooler/heater.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the representative temperature is measured using a thermistor or a thermocouple.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein an accuracy of the external meter is equal or greater the accuracy of the internal etalon.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the internal etalon measures the wavelength using a method, comprising:

defining of a ratio between a first electrical signal proportional to the output power at an input of the internal etalon and a second electrical signal proportional to the output power at an output of the internal etalon.