Method and system for a bi-directional multi-wavelength receiver for standard single-mode fiber based on grating couplers

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a photonically-enabled integrated circuit comprising an optoelectronic transceiver, a multi-wavelength grating coupler, and first and second optical source assemblies coupled to the photonically-enabled integrated circuit:

coupling a first source optical signal at a first wavelength into the photonically-enabled integrated circuit using the first optical source assembly;

coupling a second source optical signal at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength into the photonically-enabled integrated circuit using the second optical source assembly;

receiving a first optical data signal at the first wavelength from an optical fiber coupled to the multi-wavelength grating coupler; and

receiving a second optical data signal at the second wavelength from the optical fiber coupled to the multi-wavelength grating coupler.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising communicating a third optical data signal at the first wavelength out of the optoelectronic transceiver via the multi-wavelength grating coupler.

3. The method according to claim 2 , comprising communicating a fourth optical data signal at the second wavelength out of the optoelectronic transceiver via a second multi-wavelength grating coupler.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the photonically-enabled integrated circuit comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber comprises a single mode fiber.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-wavelength grating coupler comprises sections of curved waveguides, a first section configured for the first wavelength and a second section configured for the second wavelength.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-wavelength grating coupler comprises a two-dimensional array of scattering elements located at intersections of two one-dimensionally periodic gratings.

8. A system for communication, the system comprising:

a photonically-enabled integrated circuit comprising an optoelectronic transceiver, a multi-wavelength grating coupler, and first and second optical source assemblies coupled to the photonically-enabled integrated circuit, said photonically-enabled integrated circuit being operable to:

couple a first source optical signal at a first wavelength into the photonically-enabled integrated circuit using the first optical source assembly;

couple a second source optical signal at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength into the photonically-enabled integrated circuit using the second optical source assembly;

receive a first optical data signal at the first wavelength from an optical fiber coupled to the multi-wavelength grating coupler; and

receive a second optical data signal at the second wavelength from the optical fiber coupled to the multi-wavelength grating coupler.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the photonically-enabled integrated circuit is operable to communicate a third optical data signal at the first wavelength out of the optoelectronic transceiver via the multi-wavelength grating coupler.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the photonically-enabled integrated circuit is operable to communicate a fourth optical data signal at the second wavelength out of the optoelectronic transceiver via a second multi-wavelength grating coupler.

11. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the photonically-enabled integrated circuit comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip.

12. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the optical fiber comprises a single mode fiber.

13. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the multi-wavelength grating coupler comprises sections of curved waveguides, a first section configured for the first wavelength and a second section configured for the second wavelength.

14. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the multi-wavelength grating coupler comprises a two-dimensional array of scattering elements located at intersections of two one-dimensionally periodic gratings.

15. A system for communication, the system comprising:

a photonically-enabled integrated circuit comprising an optoelectronic transceiver, and first and second grating couplers, said photonically-enabled integrated circuit being operable to:

communicate a first optical data signal from the optoelectronic transceiver into a first fiber coupled to the first grating coupler;

receive a second optical data signal from the first optical fiber coupled to the first grating coupler;

communicate a third optical data signal from the optoelectronic transceiver into a second optical fiber coupled to the second grating coupler; and

receive a fourth optical data signal from the second optical fiber coupled to the second grating coupler.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the wherein the first and third optical data signals are at a first wavelength.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the second and fourth optical data signals are at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength.

18. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the photonically-enabled integrated circuit comprises a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip.

19. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the first and second optical fibers comprise single mode fibers.

20. The system according to claim 15 , comprising generating the first optical data signal utilizing a first optical source assembly coupled to the photonically-enabled integrated circuit and the second optical data signal utilizing a second optical source assembly coupled to the photonically-enabled integrated circuit.