Abstract

Future broadband networks using the WDM technologies require a large number of wavelengths. Widely tunable lasers are key elements used for back up, wavelength routing, and possibly broadband, switching. Previous works on widely tunable gain materials were mostly focused on using materials that contain symmetric MQWs¹ and asymmetric MQWs.^2–5 In order to obtain broad gain profiles, one have to pump the gain material very hard to achieve population inversion for the n = 2 quantum state. The gain profile is not flat either in this case. Using the selective-area-growth (SAG) technique, one can change the MQW size and material composition simultaneously. A broader gain profile can be easily obtained. Since the photoluminenscence (PL) peak shifts along the SAG waveguide, one can potentially control the gain profile by using spatial dependent current injection. In this paper we report a semiconductor laser with more then 200 nm tuning range based on this new type of material.

© 2001 Optical Society of America