Patent ID: 8750714

Claim:
An optical transmitter incorporating monolithic detector structures for power and wavelength monitoring, the transmitter comprising: an optical light source configured to emit light in an optical wavelength range through an emitting surface, the optical light source being coupled to a first thermoelectric cooler configured to control the temperature of the optical light source, wherein a change in the temperature of the optical light source results in a change in the wavelength of light emitted by the optical light source; a first monolithic detector structure coupled to the emitting surface of the optical light source and being positioned along the emission axis of the optical light source and configured to detect optical output power of light emitted by the optical light source; a periodic structure positioned along the emission axis of the optical light source following the first monolithic detector structure, the periodic structure being attuned to a particular wavelength within the optical wavelength range such that the periodic structure is substantially transmissive for light of the particular wavelength and variably less transmissive for light of different wavelengths outside of the optical wavelength range; and a second monolithic detector structure positioned along the emission axis of the optical light source following the periodic structure and configured to detect the wavelength of light emitted by the optical light source.