Patent ID: 9692207
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: H01S

Claim:
1. A tunable laser, comprising: a silicon substrate defining a waveguide, the waveguide being configured to propagate light, the silicon substrate including a gain region configured to amplify light propagating through the waveguide and including a silicon material and a III-V semiconductor material, the silicon substrate further including a passive region configured to filter a wavelength of light propagating through the waveguide, the passive region including at least a portion of a laser cavity, the laser cavity arranged in a ring topography so that light propagates in a single direction within the laser cavity; an output coupler formed in a passive region of the silicon substrate, the output coupler configured to allow amplified and filtered light to exit the waveguide, the output coupler further configured to produce optical feedback from the amplified and filtered light in the waveguide; and a heating element disposed proximate the waveguide, the heating element configured to adjust a temperature of the passive region in response to the optical feedback thereby to adjust the wavelength of light filtered in the waveguide.