Patent ID: 8515217

Claim:
An optical device, comprising: a planar semiconductor substrate having a light-guiding layer thereon; a primary laser light source in said light-guiding layer; and a vertical coupler optically coupled to said primary laser light source by intervening waveguide portions of said light-guiding layer located between the primary laser light source and the vertical coupler, wherein said vertical coupler is configured to receive a light beam from said primary laser light source and redirect said light beam in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a surface of said planar substrate and further including an amplitude modulator located in a light path between said primary laser light source and said vertical coupler and said amplitude modulator is configured to receive a light beam from said primary laser light source, wherein said amplitude modulator includes one or more secondary DFB laser, DRB laser, ring laser or semiconductor optical amplifier integrated into said vertical coupler.