A wavelength-tunable curved waveguide DFB laser with an integrated modulator

Abstract

A distributed-feedback (DFB) laser with a curved waveguide in the active region integrated with an electroabsorption modulator is studied experimentally and theoretically. The modulator controls the lasing wavelength of the DFB laser by acting as an optical phase shifter. Our model, which is based on the transfer matrix method, is used to simulate this multisection device with the curved waveguide, self-consistently including the effects of spatial hole burning (SHB). The model explains the features and wavelength-tuning behavior of the spectrum and shows good agreement with experimentally measured spectra. We also show theoretically that the curved waveguide suppresses the longitudinal photon density profile of the device compared with a straight waveguide case, which implies reduced SHB effects.