Frequency modulated hybrid photonic crystal laser by thermal tuning

We demonstrate frequency modulation (FM) in an external cavity (EC) III-V/silicon laser, comprising a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) and a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide vertically coupled to a 2D silicon photonic crystal (PhC) cavity. The PhC cavity acts as a tunable narrowband reflector giving wavelength selectivity. The FM was achieved by thermo-optical modulation of the reflector via a p-n junction. Single-mode operation was ensured by the short cavity length, overlapping only one longitudinal laser mode with the reflector. We investigate the effect of reflector modulation theoretically and experimentally and predict a substantial tracking of the resonator by the laser frequency with very small intensity modulation (IM)