An electronically tunable distributed feedback (DFB) laser heterogeneously integrated on a silicon photonics platform is experimentally demonstrated. Tuning is achieved through carrier injection into the tuning layer of a tunable twin‐guide III–V membrane on silicon. A 2 nm continuous tuning range is achieved with a single tuning current. Continuous‐wave single‐mode laser operation with a side‐mode suppression ratio larger than 44 dB across the tuning range is obtained. Measured wavelength switching times are on the order of 3 ns and non‐return‐to‐zero on‐off keying direct modulation at 12.5 Gbit s−1 is readily achieved. This work can be a major advance toward the realization of optical burst or packet switching systems for future data center networks.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.