Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a silicon photonics integrated apparatus that includes an input to receive an optical signal, a splitter optically coupled to the input to split the optical signal at a first path and a second path, a polarization beam splitter and rotator (PBSR) optically coupled with the first path or the second path, and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) optically coupled with the first path or the second path and disposed between the splitter and the PBSR. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.