Multilane variable bias for an optical modulator

1. A device comprising:

a data input/output interface configured for a predefined data rate and protocol;

an input/output block coupled to the data input/output interface;

a driver interface coupled to the input/output block and configured to be coupled to a silicon photonics device comprising a plurality of redundant laser devices arranged in pairs, each pair emitting a same wavelength and in optical communication with a single corresponding optical channel via a single corresponding Mach-Zehnder (MZ) switch, each pair comprising: 1) a first redundant laser device comprising a first laser having an output in optical communication with an input of a first modulator having an output in optical communication with a first input of the single corresponding MZ switch, and 2) a second redundant laser device comprising a second laser having an output in optical communication with an input of a second modulator having an output in optical communication with a second input of the single corresponding MZ switch, the driver interface being configured to transmit output data in either an amplitude modulation format or a combination of phase/amplitude modulation format or a phase modulation format;

a receiver module coupled to the silicon photonics device using an optical loop back signal and configured to communicate information to the input/output block for transmission through the data input/output interface;

an optical isolation switch between the optical channel and the receiver module;

a communication block operably coupled to the input/output block and the receiver module; and

a variable bias block configured with the communication block, the variable bias block being configured to selectively tune each of a plurality of redundant laser devices provided on the silicon photonics device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the variable bias block comprises a common voltage rail coupling in parallel with a plurality of voltage drop blocks respectively coupled to a plurality of driver blocks in order to provide variable DC bias as a function of wavelengths of the plurality of redundant laser devices.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the amplified modulation format is selected from a Non-Return to Zero (NRZ) format or a Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) format.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the phase modulation format is selected from Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) or n-Phase Shift Keying (nPSK).

5. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the phase/amplitude modulation is Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM); and

the silicon photonic device is configured to convert the output data into an output transport data in a wave division multiplexed (WDM) signal.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the phase/amplitude modulation is Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM).

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the silicon photonic device is configured to convert the output data into an output transport data in a wave division multiplexed (WDM) signal.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a control block coupled to the communication block and configured to initiate a laser bias or a modulator bias.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the control block is configured for laser bias and power control of the silicon photonics device.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein the control block is configured with a thermal tuning or carrier tuning device each of which is configured on the silicon photonics device.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the input/output block comprises a SerDes block configured to convert N first data streams into M second data streams.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a broad band source in optical communication with the receiver module.

13. A device comprising:

a data input/output interface configured for a predefined data rate and protocol;

an input/output block coupled to the data input/output interface;

a driver interface coupled to the input/output block and configured to be coupled to a silicon photonics device comprising a plurality of redundant laser devices in optical communication with an optical channel via a switch, each redundant laser device comprising a laser having an output in optical communication with an input of a modulator having an output in optical communication with a respective input of the switch, the driver interface being configured to transmit output data in either an amplitude modulation format or a combination of phase/amplitude modulation format or a phase modulation format;

a receiver module coupled to the silicon photonics device using a loop back signal and configured to communicate information to the input/output block for transmission through the data input/output interface;

a communication block operably coupled to the input/output block and the receiver module;

an optical isolation switch between the optical channel and the receiver module; and

a variable bias block configured with the communication block, the variable bias block being configured to selectively tune each of a plurality of redundant laser devices provided on the silicon photonics device.

14. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a driver module coupled to the driver interface, the driver module including a driver selected from a current driver, a voltage driver, and a differential driver.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the input/output block further comprises a CDR block, a compensation block, and an equalizer block.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the variable bias block is configured to selectively tune each of the plurality of redundant laser devices to adjust for a wavelength of operation.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the variable bias block is configured to selectively tune each of the plurality of redundant laser devices to adjust for a fabrication tolerance.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the variable bias block is configured to selectively tune each of the plurality of redundant laser devices to adjust for an extinction ratio.

19. The device of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of redundant laser devices have a same wavelength.