Patent attributes
A dual-ring-modulated laser includes a gain medium having a reflective end coupled to an associated gain-medium reflector and an output end, which is coupled to a reflector circuit through an input waveguide to form a lasing cavity. The reflector circuit comprises: a first ring modulator; a second ring modulator; and a shared waveguide that optically couples the first and second ring modulators together. The first and second ring modulators have resonance peaks that are tuned to be offset in alignment from each other to provide an effective reflectance having a flat-top response, which is aligned with an associated lasing cavity mode. The first and second ring modulators are driven in tandem based on the same electrical input signal, whereby the resonance peaks of the first and second ring modulators shift wavelengths in the same direction during modulation, and an effective reflectance stays within the flat-top wavelength range.