Multi-wavelength hybrid silicon lasers for optical interconnects

Future high-capacity optical interconnects will require a wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) approach, where signals are carried by a densely spaced grid of optical frequencies. WDM sources would either consist of an array of single-frequency lasers or a single source that can generate all optical frequencies at once. For terabit per second links and beyond, fully integrated solutions will become the technology of choice. Photonic integration on the silicon photonics platform is an attractive solution when volumes scale up. When interconnect links, with volumes of 100ks to 1Ms per year, move into the hundreds of gigabit or even terabit per second range, these seem a prime application for silicon photonics. Heterogeneous integration of III/V materials, such as indium-phosphide (InP), gives the silicon photonics platform access to efficient optical sources, as required for WDM transmitters.