This SBIR project plans to develop a WDM transmitter qualified for the harsh environment of military and aerospace avionics applications. The fiber pigtailed transmitter will employ a Sampled Grating Distributed Bragg Reflector (SGDBR) InP laser to achieve a data rate of ?10Gb/s. The laser will be used in conjunction with a wavelength locker to accomplish >80 wavelength channel tunability. A novel approach to the design of wavelength locker based on planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technology is proposed to achieve the low-profile requirement (package height < 0.140). In addition, latest developments in design of thermoelectric coolers will be utilized to provide stable performance over extended temperature ranges of -40°C to 100°C. In Phase I, the focus will be on design and analysis of the new wavelength locker and high performance thermoelectric cooler. Motivation for this initiative comes from growing demand for high data rate and cost-effective, standardized packaging technology for harsh environments. Traditionally, specialized laser modules have been employed in military networks. Increasing data rates demand use of WDM transmitters. However, custom made products will result in significant cost. Accordingly, there is an interest in developing transmitters manufactured by established processes in telecommunications industry. Benefit The results of this project will mark a significant improvement in the design of wavelength lockers. Currently, the lockers consist of bulk optics that presents many design/manufacturing hurdles. A PLC locker will be robust by design, conducive to volume manufacturing and easy to assemble. The broader impact of the proposed activity will be to propel the progress of telecommunication laser packaging. The next step in growth of the telecommunication industry depends on the availability of low-cost, small form-factor, and high performance optoelectronic devices. Efforts in driving the cost down, while providing improved performance, would go a long way in reviving the industry. Furthermore, the results of the project will contribute toward standardizing the packaging technology between telecommunications and military networks. Keywords Ruggedized Packaging, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), Waveguide Locker., planar lightwave circuit
