US 12,092,909 B2
Integrated semiconductor laser with interferometric amplifier array
Michael C. Larson, Oakland, CA (US); Shibnath Pathak, San Jose, CA (US); and Barrie P. Keyworth, Ottawa (CA)
Assigned to Lumentum Operations LLC, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Lumentum Operations LLC, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 13, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/789,678.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/895,399, filed on Sep. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0063776 A1, Mar. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. G02F 1/01 (2006.01); G01S 7/4861 (2020.01); G02F 1/225 (2006.01); H01S 5/50 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/0123 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4861 (2013.01); G02F 1/2252 (2013.01); H01S 5/50 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A photonic integrated circuit, comprising:
a first laser configured to generate a first optical beam,
wherein the first laser comprises a first front mirror section and a first back mirror section;
a second laser configured to generate a second optical beam,
wherein the second laser comprises a second front mirror section and a second back mirror section; and
a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) configured to amplify an optical beam of the first optical beam or the second optical beam,
wherein the MZI comprises a first coupler and a second coupler connected via a plurality of arms of the MZI,
wherein an arm, of the plurality of arms, provides an optical path for part of the optical beam and comprises:
a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) configured to amplify the part of the optical beam, and
a dedicated phase shifter configured to provide tunable refractive index shift and adjust a phase of the part of the optical beam,
 wherein the SOA and the dedicated phase shifter are joined within the arm either directly together or indirectly together via a waveguide,
wherein a first input of the first coupler is connected to an output of the first front mirror section,
wherein a second input of the first coupler is connected to an output of the second front mirror section,
wherein an output of the first coupler is connected to an input of the SOA, and
wherein the first laser and the second laser are connected to a third coupler via the first back mirror section and the second back mirror section,
wherein an output of the third coupler is connected to a monitor photodiode.