SIMULTANEOUS MULTIPLE WAVELENGTH OPERATION OF A MULTISTRIPE ARRAY GRATING INTEGRATED CAVITY LASER

Simultaneous multiple-wavelength operation of a multistripe array grating integrated cavity laser is reported. We demonstrate simultaneous lasing from a single output port at 2, 3, and 4 discrete wavelengths, each independently selected from a comb of 9 wavelengths set at approximately 2 nm intervals, from 1512 to 1528 nm. Signal cross talk is examined for the case of two-wavelength emission and found to be independent of the wavelength separation. The emission wavelengths were linearly spaced to within +/- 0.02 nm, while the comb's central wavelength deviated by less than 2 nm from its design value. This is the highest wavelength linearity and accuracy so far recorded for a monolithic multiwavelength source.