Abstract

For WDM optical sources, fixed wavelength laser arrays are a cheaper and practical alternative to widely tunable lasers. Further, if the wavelength of each source in the array can be defined by lithography instead of selective growth this alternative becomes even more attractive. Several techniques are available for this, including ridge width variation [1], ridge angle variation [2] and thermal tuning [3]. In this paper we report simulation and experimented study of the CW characteristics of varying ridge width laser arrays. In particular this type of structure allows one to separate out the material aspects of the laser from the geometry dependent aspects, giving more insight into those over which the designer has control.

© 1995 Optical Society of America