Patent ID: 7091462

Claim:
A transmitter for providing a wavelength stabilized output signal having a wavelength W s comprising: a package for housing electronic and optical components; a light source disposed within the package for providing the output signal; a photodetector disposed within the package in close proximity to the light source, wherein at least a portion of the output signal is optically coupled to the photodetector; switching means for changing a bias on the photodetector between forward bias mode and reverse bias mode, whereby the photodetector provides an indication of the output power of the light source output signal when the photodetector is in the reverse bias mode, and a signal that is related to the temperature and output power of the light source when the photodetector is in the forward bias mode; a temperature sensor disposed outside of the package for providing a signal indicating an ambient temperature about the package; a feedback circuit utilizing the indication of the output power from the photodetector and the signal indicating the ambient temperature from the temperature sensor to form a power control signal to adjust the output power of the light source, and utilizing the signal related to the temperature of the light source from the photodetector and the signal indicating the ambient temperature from the temperature sensor to form a temperature control signal for adjusting the temperature of the light source thereby adjusting the wavelength thereof; and, a memory circuit operationally coupled to the feedback circuit and the temperature sensor for storing a lookup table comprising a plurality of stored values, said stored values corresponding to control voltages for adjusting the temperature control signal at a plurality of different ambient temperatures about the package and maintaining the wavelength of the light source substantially constant at the wavelength W s when the power of the light source changes and/or when the temperature about the light source changes.