Coherent tuning of semiconductor laser wavelength

A new scheme for coherent tuning of laser light

“…5,6 We have now demonstrated that the wavelength of a laser can be tuned using, and effecting, only the coherent light. 7 The distributed-Bragg-reflector (DBR) laser fabricated in this experiment is shown in Figure 1. Tuning electrodes, triangular in shape, are located in front of the DBR section.…”

“…A more detailed description of the fabrication process is available in the literature. 7,8 The principle of coherent tuning is as follows: Current injection into a triangular electrode changes the refractive index of the waveguide underneath it. A photon passing through the electrode is refracted and changes its wave vector component along the propagation direction by k = k 0 cosθ, where k 0 is an original wave vector component and θ the refracted angle (typically 0 • to 0.5 • ).…”