Semiconductor integrated étalon interference laser with a curved resonator

Abstract

A semiconductor interferometric laser with a resonator having curved and straight segments is reported. Interference is caused by internal reflection at the junction discontinuity between curved and straight segments due to a slight difference between the wave propagation constants. Lateral mode stability is provided by the fabrication of a buried heterostructure type laser cavity. The outstanding features of the laser are (1) very stable single longitudinal mode and stable lateral mode operation, and (2) a wavelength locking range of up to 23 °C within which the wavelength changes at a rate of 0.5–0.6 Å/°C.