Abstract

A distributed feedback (DFB) laser array combining a gain-coupling mechanism and a tuning capability is a good candidate for practical and low-cost WDM light source.¹ As the gain-coupling guarantees high yield of single-mode operation at predictable Bragg modes for individual lasers,^2-3 the yield for the arrays is high. In this paper, we demonstrate a 16-wave-length gain-coupled DFB laser array with a post-fabrication fine tunability. The array consists of 16 InGaAsP/InP strained layer MQW ridge waveguide lasers with ridge widths from 1.6 to 5.2 μm. Our experimental results have shown that all lasers had single-mode lasing at expected Bragg wavelengths in cw operation; 16 lasing wavelengths around 1.55 μm with ~1-nm spacing were obtained. A thermal fine-tuning for the individual lasers was obtained with a Ti thin-film resistor.

© 1996 Optical Society of America