Abstract

High speed and low chirp light sources are required for fiber optic long haul communication systems at high bit rates. Monolithically integrated distributed feedback (DFB) laser-electroabsorption (EA) modulators EA have become very attractive for such applications in the 1.55 µm wavelength range. Indeed 20 Gbit/s transmission over 100 km of dispersion shifted fiber has already been reported, using this type of light source.¹ We recently demonstrated a very simple approach for high performance multiple quantum well (MQW) DFB laser-EA modulator monolithic integration.² This method uses the same strained MQW active layer for both optical functions and is based on the positive detuning of the DFB laser Bragg wavelength relative to that of the optical gain spectrum peak.

© 1995 IEEE