Abstract

Broadly tunable semiconductor lasers [1-3] are expected to play a major role in both high-speed direct detection wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) systems and coherent heterodyne detection systems, and also may find applications in new optical switching architectures. In this paper we describe the structure and performance of tunable single-longitudinal-mode InGaAs/InGaAsP multiple-quantum-well (MQW) distributed-Bragg-reflector (DBR) lasers operating at 1.5 μm. These lasers display low threshold, excellent differential quantum efficiency, large tuning range, with both low chirp under high-speed direct modulation and narrow linewidth under CW operation.

© 1988 Optical Society of America