Wavelength-tunable asymmetric cladding ridge-waveguide distributed Bragg reflector lasers with very narrow linewidth

Abstract

Narrow-linewidth ridge-waveguide distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers with asymmetric cladding are demonstrated. This design requires only a single epitaxial growth of an asymmetric cladding laser structure while the grating and the ridge waveguide are fabricated after the growth. These lasers have a threshold current as low as 9 mA, a slope efficiency of 0.3 W/A, and a T/sub 0/ of 100 K. Wavelength tuning of 8 nm is achieved by current injection heating of the DBR section. A spectral-linewidth minimum of 36 kHz is achieved at an output power of 20 mW and is limited by linewidth rebroadening due to current injection in both the gain section and DBR section.