An apparatus and method providing a plurality of modulated optical beams
from a single layer of semiconductor material. For one example, an
apparatus includes a plurality of optical waveguides disposed in a single
layer of semiconductor material. Each one of the plurality of optical
waveguides includes an optical cavity defined along the optical
waveguide. A single bar of gain medium material adjoining the single
layer of semiconductor material across the plurality of optical
waveguides is included. The gain medium-semiconductor material interface
is defined along each of the plurality of optical waveguides. A plurality
of optical modulators is disposed in the single layer of semiconductor
material. Each one of the plurality of optical modulators is optically
coupled to a respective one of the plurality of optical waveguides to
modulate a respective optical beam directed from the optical cavity.