High-Performance and Low-Cost 40-Gb/s CWDM Optical Modules

High-performance and low-cost 40-Gb/s optical modules using four different wavelength uncooled 10-Gb/s distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers are proposed and demonstrated. The 40-Gb/s optical module was integrated with coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) thin-film filters which enabled four 10-Gb/s transmission channels output through a single fiber. The 10-Gb/s DFB laser was packaged by commercialized low-cost coaxial TO-Can technology. The results of the 40-Gb/s optical module showed that the output optical power was above ${-}1$ dBm per channel and the system power budget was 12 dB. The transmission distance with a single-mode fiber reached more than 30 km at a bit-error-rate of $10^{{-}9}$. Compared with conventional 40-Gb/s optical modules, the module is easy to fabricate and is low cost. This proposed high-performance 40-Gb/s CWDM optical module demonstrates not only the feasibility of a 30 km transmission, but also shows the low-cost possibility of ensuring the application of WDM-passive optical network fiber-to-the-home systems.