Single-chip integrated transmitters and receivers

Active InP-based photonic ICs can be created with size, weight, power and stability as well as system performance metrics superior to discrete solutions in many situations. If produced in some volume, the cost can be much lower. Coherent approaches will be greatly improved by the use of Photonic Integration, and numerous sensor applications may be enabled in addition to higher-spectral-efficiency communications. Close integration of control/feedback electronics will be desirable in many future PIC applications - it is required for low-cost Optical Phase Locked Loop (OPLL) systems with conventional semiconductor lasers, but efficiency can be high. New high-volume (client) applications may emerge as low-cost, high performance PIC/EIC transmitter/receiver engines are developed - interconnect, computing, sensing, communication, etc. Active integrated Si-photonics is rapidly emerging, and many applications are being explored. Integrated PIC/EIC devices would appear to be compelling, but not on the horizon yet.