Four-Channel WDM Transmission Experiment Using a Photonic-Integrated-Circuit Transmitter

Wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) is one technique that is being pursued in order to more fully utilize the tremendous bandwidth of single-mode fiber. Experimental WDM systems have achieved aggregate bit rates of up to 32 Gbit/s [1,2]. Unfortunately, these systems have required high complexity at the transmitter, since individual lasers are employed. Recently, a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) was reported which contained three tunable multiple-quantum-well (MQW) lasers integrated with a passive waveguide combiner and an output optical amplifier [3]. We now describe a WDM transmission system which uses a similar device containing four lasers, each modulated at 2 Gbit/s. We report on transmission through 36 km of conventional fiber at an operating wavelength of 1.5 μm.