Electroabsorption modulator-integrated distributed Bragg reflector laser diode for C-band WDM-based networks

We report an electroabsorption modulator (EAM)-integrated distributed Bragg reflector laser diode (DBR-LD) capable of supporting a high data rate and a wide wavelength tuning. The DBR-LD contains two tuning elements, plasma and heater tunings, both of which are implemented in the DBR section, which have blue-shift and red-shift in the Bragg wavelength through a current injection, respectively. The light created from the DBR-LD is intensity-modulated through the EAM voltage, which is integrated monolithically with the DBR-LD using a butt-joint coupling method. The fabricated chip shows a threshold current of approximately 8 mA, tuning range of greater than 30 nm, and static extinction ratio of higher than 20 dB while maintaining a side mode suppression ratio of greater than 40 dB under a window of 1550 nm. To evaluate its modulation properties, the chip was bonded onto a mount including a radiofrequency line and a load resistor showing clear eye openings at data rates of 25 Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero and 50 Gb/s pulse amplitude modulation 4-level, respectively.