Multi-channel fabry-perot laser transmitters and methods of generating multiple modulated optical signals

1. An optical transmitter, comprising:

a Fabry-Perot (FP) laser operable to generate multimode laser light;

an optical isolator arranged to transmit the multimode laser light;

an optical splitter having more than one optical output and an optical input arranged to receive the multimode laser light transmitted by the optical isolator; and

electroabsorption modulators (EAMs) each operable to modulate a respective laser light output from a respective optical output of the optical splitter, wherein the multimode laser light has a power spectrum characterized by a root-mean-square linewidth of at most 3 nm and wherein the FP laser has a wavelength temperature coefficient, and each of the EAMs has an absorption edge temperature coefficient equal to the wavelength temperature coefficient within +/−25% over an operating temperature range specified for the optical transmitter.

2. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the multimode laser light has a power spectrum characterized by a root-mean-square linewidth of at most 1 nm.

3. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the FP laser and the EAMs are fabricated of materials selected from a mutual semiconductor material family.

4. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the optical transmitter is decoupled from any direct active temperature-regulating device.

5. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the FP laser and the EAMs share a mutual thermal environment.

6. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein each EAM has a signal electrode for receiving a modulation drive signal and a leveling electrode for receiving a power level control signal.

7. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first optoelectronic package containing the FP laser and the optical isolator;

a second optoelectronic package containing the optical splitter and the EAMS; and

a single mode optical fiber connecting the first and second optoelectronic packages.

8. The optical transmitter of claim 7 , wherein the optical fiber is polarization-preserving.

9. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , further comprising an optoelectronic package containing the FP laser, the optical isolator, the optical splitter, and the EAMs.

10. A method of generating multiple modulated optical signals, comprising:

generating multimode laser light by a Fabry-Perot (FP) laser;

directionally isolating the multimode laser light;

dividing the directionally-isolated multimode laser light into more than one divided laser light output; and

modulating each of the divided laser light outputs by an electroabsorption modulator (EAM) to produce multiple modulated optical signals, wherein the multimode laser light has a power spectrum characterized by a root-mean-square linewidth of at most 3 nm, and wherein the generating is characterized by a first wavelength temperature coefficient, and the modulating is characterized by a second wavelength temperature coefficient equal to first wavelength temperature coefficient within +/−25% over a specified operating temperature range.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the multimode laser light has a power spectrum characterized by a root-mean-square linewidth of at most 1 nm.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the generating and the modulating are performed in a mutual thermal environment.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mutual thermal environment is decoupled from any direct active temperature-regulating device.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the generating and the modulating are performed in a common optoelectronic package.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting the directionally-isolated multimode laser light before the dividing.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising controlling the modulating of each divided laser light output so that the modulated optical signals have substantially equal optical power levels.