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Publication

Wavelength locking of a Si ring modulator using an integrated drop-port OMA monitoring circuit

Journal Contribution - Journal Article

© 2016 IEEE. Silicon micro-ring modulators have the potential to enable energy efficient, high-bandwidth-density optical interconnects in CMOS compatible silicon technologies. However, their operation is highly susceptible to any thermal, laser wavelength or process variations and, as such, require a feedback control system for guaranteeing stable modulation. This paper demonstrates wavelength locking of a hybrid CMOS-silicon photonics ring-based transmitter using a 40 nm CMOS circuit to directly monitor the optical modulation amplitude (OMA) at the drop port of the ring modulator. OMA stabilization with an accuracy of < 10 pm (∼ 0.125 °C or within ∼ 2% of the maximum OMA), a tracking speed of 5 nm/s (∼ 62.5 °C/s), and a tuning range of 5 nm (∼ 62.5 °C) is demonstrated by subjecting the photonic transmitter both to thermal and laser wavelength variations under dynamic modulation at 2 Gbps. The demonstrated wavelength locking concept is also robust to the variations in the input laser power and can be implemented with low power.
Journal: IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits
ISSN: 0018-9200
Issue: 10
Volume: 51
Pages: 2328 - 2344
Publication year:2016
BOF-keylabel:yes
IOF-keylabel:yes
BOF-publication weight:3
CSS-citation score:1
Authors from:Government, Higher Education