Analysis of broadly tunable coupled-cavity semiconductor lasers

We report on the spectral properties for above-threshold operation of broadly tunable, asymmetric multiple quantum well (AMQW), coupled-cavity InGaAsP/InP semiconductor diode lasers. We developed a traveling wave model to understand the mode selection that the lasers exhibit. We find that a weak, short external cavity (SXC) can be used to obtain single frequency operation on each longitudinal mode over the similar to 100 nm tuning range of the uncoated AMQW coupled-cavity lasers. We measured the spectral properties of AMQW coupled-cavity lasers with and without an SXC. In a synthesized optical coherent optical tomography application, the use of an SXC with an AMQW coupled-cavity laser reduces the coherence length and hence enhances the performance of the AMQW coupled-cavity laser for optical coherence tomography applications. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America