Patent ID: 7099360

Claim:
An external cavity laser apparatus, comprising: a plurality of waveguides each having a first portion and a second portion formed in a semiconductor material; a plurality of laser gain blocks to provide optical signals to the first portions of the plurality of waveguides, each laser gain block being substantially similar; a plurality of gratings formed in the first portions of the plurality of waveguides, the plurality of gratings defining a plurality of wavelengths, wherein each waveguide of the plurality of waveguides propagates in its second portion an optical signal defined by a grating formed in its first portion; an array waveguide grating (AWG) formed in the semiconductor material to receive a plurality of optical signals from the second portions of the plurality of waveguides; and a detector array coupled to the plurality of waveguides and the plurality of laser gain blocks, the detector array to provide wavelength stabilization for the plurality of wavelengths, to provide power usage equalization of the plurality of laser gain blocks, to monitor power of each of the plurality of optical signals, and to level the power of the each of the plurality of optical signals by increasing and/or decreasing each optical signal to achieve a desired power level.