Wavelength tunable multi-section DBR lasers have been fabricated on a p-doped InP substrate by LPE. Maximum output power is 10-5 mW and largest step-wise tuning range is 51 nm for a single-sided DBR laser. A double-sided laser has a continuous tuning range of l-4nm. It is shown that the low electrical isolation between the top contacts causes lower output power and a significantly larger laser linewidth. © 1990, The Institution of Electrical Engineers. All rights reserved.