An embodiment semiconductor optical device includes an optical waveguide including a core, and an active layer extending in the waveguide direction of the optical waveguide for a predetermined distance and arranged in a state in which the active layer can be optically coupled to the core. The core and the active layer are arranged in contact with each other. The core is formed of a material with a refractive index of about 1.5 to 2.2, such as SiN, for example. In addition, the core is formed to a thickness at which a higher-order mode appears. The higher-order mode is an E.sub.12 mode, for example.

A discrete wavelength tunable laser having an optical cavity which comprises: a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA); a demultiplexer (Demux) having a single input and a plurality of outputs, the Demux configured to receive the output of the SOA and to produce a plurality of fixed spectral passbands within the gain bandwidth of the SOA; one or more tunable distributed Bragg reflector(s) (DBR(s)) arranged to receive the outputs of the Demux, each tunable DBR configured to select a reflective spectral band within the gain bandwidth of the SOA upon application of a bias current; wherein the SOA forms the back end mirror of the optical cavity; the one or more tunable DBRs form the front end mirror of the optical cavity; and wherein the lasing channel of the discrete wavelength tunable laser is chosen by the overlap of the selected reflective spectral band of one of the one or more tunable DBRs with a fixed spectral passband of the Demux.

Temperature measurements of photonic circuit components may be performed optically, exploiting a temperature-dependent spectral property of the photonic device to be monitored itself, or of a separate optical temperature sensor placed in its vicinity. By facilitating measurements of the temperature of the individual photonic devices rather than merely the photonic circuit at large, such optical temperature measurements can provide more accurate temperature information and help improve thermal design.

A symmetric distributed feedback (DFB) laser that is integrated in a silicon based photonic integrated circuit can output light from both sides of the symmetric DFB laser onto waveguides. The light in the waveguides can be phase adjusted and combined using an optical coupler. The symmetric DFB laser can generate light and symmetrically output light onto different lanes of a multi-lane transmitter.

A symmetric distributed feedback (DFB) laser that is integrated in a silicon based photonic integrated circuit can output light from both sides of the symmetric DFB laser onto waveguides. The light in the waveguides can be phase adjusted and combined using an optical coupler. The symmetric DFB laser can generate light and symmetrically output light onto different lanes of a multi-lane transmitter.

Disclosed is a surface etched grating semiconductor laser with periodic pumping structure. The structure includes a lower doped dielectric layer, a multiple quantum well active layer, a ridge-shaped doped dielectric layer, periodic grating grooves formed on the ridge-shaped doped dielectric layer and a top electrical contact layer forming ohmic electrical contact with electrical contact regions between the grating grooves. Carriers are injected through the periodic electrical contact layer, flow through the electrical contact regions, spread laterally when reaching the bottom of the grating grooves, and then continue to spread to the multiple quantum well active layer. In a case of uniform distribution, a laser based on refractive index modulation is realized. In a case of non-uniform distribution, a laser with mixed modulation is realized by introducing additional gain modulation.

Disclosed is a surface etched grating semiconductor laser with periodic pumping structure. The structure includes a lower doped dielectric layer, a multiple quantum well active layer, a ridge-shaped doped dielectric layer, periodic grating grooves formed on the ridge-shaped doped dielectric layer and a top electrical contact layer forming ohmic electrical contact with electrical contact regions between the grating grooves. Carriers are injected through the periodic electrical contact layer, flow through the electrical contact regions, spread laterally when reaching the bottom of the grating grooves, and then continue to spread to the multiple quantum well active layer. In a case of uniform distribution, a laser based on refractive index modulation is realized. In a case of non-uniform distribution, a laser with mixed modulation is realized by introducing additional gain modulation.

A semiconductor optical amplifier integrated laser includes a semiconductor laser oscillator portion that oscillates laser light having a wavelength included in a gain band and a semiconductor optical amplifier portion that amplifies laser light output from the semiconductor laser oscillator portion. The semiconductor laser oscillator portion and the semiconductor optical amplifier portion have one common p-i-n structure, the common p-i-n structure includes an active layer, a cladding layer provided apart from the active layer, and a common functional layer formed in the cladding layer, and the common functional layer includes a first portion that reflects light having a wavelength within the gain band in the semiconductor laser oscillator portion and a second portion that transmits light having a wavelength within the gain band in the semiconductor optical amplifier portion.

A semiconductor optical amplifier integrated laser includes a semiconductor laser oscillator portion that oscillates laser light having a wavelength included in a gain band and a semiconductor optical amplifier portion that amplifies laser light output from the semiconductor laser oscillator portion. The semiconductor laser oscillator portion and the semiconductor optical amplifier portion have one common p-i-n structure, the common p-i-n structure includes an active layer, a cladding layer provided apart from the active layer, and a common functional layer formed in the cladding layer, and the common functional layer includes a first portion that reflects light having a wavelength within the gain band in the semiconductor laser oscillator portion and a second portion that transmits light having a wavelength within the gain band in the semiconductor optical amplifier portion.

A thermally tunable laser includes: a substrate; a laser resonator, wherein the laser resonator includes a gain section, and wherein the laser resonator includes a tuning section; a heating arrangement; a heat sink arrangement for dissipating a heat flow from the laser resonator to the heat sink arrangement; and a hole arrangement for influencing the heat flow from the laser resonator to the heat sink arrangement, wherein the hole arrangement is arranged between the substrate and the heat sink arrangement, wherein one or more holes of the hole arrangement include at least one hole being arranged within a horizontal range of the tuning section, so that a thermal resistance between the tuning section and the heat sink arrangement is increased.