MULTI-WAVELENGTH DBR LASER
First Claim
1. A multi-wavelength distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser diode comprising front and rear DBR sections, a plurality of dedicated tuning signal control nodes, a gain section, and a waveguide core extending between front and rear facets of the laser diode, wherein:
- the gain section comprises an active region and is positioned between the front and rear DBR sections along an optical propagation axis defined by the waveguide core of the laser diode;
the front DBR section comprises a plurality of front wavelength selective grating sections defining a plurality of distinct grating periodicities Λ
1*, Λ
2* . . . corresponding to distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1*, λ
S2* . . . ;
the rear DBR section comprises a plurality of rear wavelength selective grating sections defining a plurality of distinct grating periodicities Λ
1, Λ
2 . . . corresponding to distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1, λ
S2 . . . ;
the plurality of dedicated tuning signal control nodes are associated with individual ones of the front wavelength selective grating sections, individual ones of the rear wavelength selective grating sections, or both, and are constructed such that one or more tuning signals applied to one or more of the dedicated tuning signal control nodes spectrally aligns distinct Bragg wavelengths a selected one of the distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1*, λ
S2* . . . of the front DBR section with a selected one of the distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1, λ
S2 . . . of the rear DBR section.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-wavelength distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser diode is provided including front and rear DBR sections and a plurality of dedicated tuning signal control nodes. The front DBR section includes a plurality of front wavelength selective grating sections defining a plurality of distinct grating periodicities λ1*, λ2* . . . corresponding to distinct Bragg wavelengths λS1*, λS2* . . . . The rear DBR section comprises a plurality of rear wavelength selective grating sections defining a plurality of distinct grating periodicities λ1, λ2 . . . corresponding to distinct Bragg wavelengths λS1, λS2 . . . . The tuning signal control nodes are associated with corresponding front wavelength selective grating sections, rear wavelength selective grating sections, or both, such that tuning signals applied to one or more of the dedicated tuning signal control nodes spectrally aligns select Bragg wavelengths λS1*, λS2* . . . of the front DBR section with a selected distinct Bragg wavelengths λS1, λS2 . . . of the rear DBR section.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A multi-wavelength distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser diode comprising front and rear DBR sections, a plurality of dedicated tuning signal control nodes, a gain section, and a waveguide core extending between front and rear facets of the laser diode, wherein:
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the gain section comprises an active region and is positioned between the front and rear DBR sections along an optical propagation axis defined by the waveguide core of the laser diode; the front DBR section comprises a plurality of front wavelength selective grating sections defining a plurality of distinct grating periodicities Λ
1*, Λ
2* . . . corresponding to distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1*, λ
S2* . . . ;the rear DBR section comprises a plurality of rear wavelength selective grating sections defining a plurality of distinct grating periodicities Λ
1, Λ
2 . . . corresponding to distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1, λ
S2 . . . ;the plurality of dedicated tuning signal control nodes are associated with individual ones of the front wavelength selective grating sections, individual ones of the rear wavelength selective grating sections, or both, and are constructed such that one or more tuning signals applied to one or more of the dedicated tuning signal control nodes spectrally aligns distinct Bragg wavelengths a selected one of the distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1*, λ
S2* . . . of the front DBR section with a selected one of the distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1, λ
S2 . . . of the rear DBR section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A multi-wavelength distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser diode comprising front and rear DBR sections, a plurality of dedicated tuning signal control nodes, a gain section, and a waveguide core extending between front and rear facets of the laser diode, wherein:
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the gain section comprises an active region and is positioned between the front and rear DBR sections along an optical propagation axis defined by the waveguide core of the laser diode; the front DBR section comprises a plurality of front wavelength selective grating sections defining a plurality of distinct grating periodicities Λ
1*, Λ
2* . . . corresponding to distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1*, λ
S2* . . . ;the rear DBR section comprises a plurality of rear wavelength selective grating sections defining a plurality of distinct grating periodicities Λ
1, Λ
2 . . . corresponding to distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1, λ
S2 . . . ;each of the distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1*, λ
S2* . . . are shorter than and spectrally misaligned with respect to the distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1, λ
S2 . . . ;the plurality of dedicated tuning signal control nodes are associated with individual ones of the front wavelength selective grating sections and are constructed such that one or more tuning signals applied to one or more of the front dedicated tuning signal control nodes spectrally aligns distinct Bragg wavelengths a selected one of the distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1*, λ
S2* . . . of the front DBR section with a selected one of the distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1, λ
S2 . . . of the rear DBR section;the waveguide core of the laser diode comprises a stack of quantum cascade cores; each quantum cascade core comprises a gain peak approximating one of the distinct Bragg wavelengths λ
S1, λ
S2 . . . of the rear wavelength selective grating sections;the gain section of the laser diode is characterized by a wavelength-dependent optical gain spectrum; the quantum cascade cores with relatively low optical gains are placed relatively close to the center of the optical mode of propagation of the laser diode, while the quantum cascade cores with relatively high optical gains are placed relatively far from the center of the optical mode of propagation of the laser diode; and the front grating section corresponding to a reflectance peak in the lowest gain portion of the optical gain spectrum is positioned closest to the gain section along a front portion of the optical propagation axis of the laser diode.
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Specification