Strained Layer Quantum Well Lasers for Optical Communications

It has been shown that strained-layer quantum well lasers have many advantages over conventional double heterostructure lasers for optical communications. They have exhibited low threshold currents, high temperature operation, high modulation speed, high power output, narrow linewidth, and high reliability. In particular, the wide optical gain width has permitted, for the first time, the realization of a 21-wavelength distributed feedback laser array monolithically integrated with an optical power combiner and amplifiers on the same chip. In this talk, the design and the performance of these strained-layer QW lasers and DFB laser arrays are presented, and their impact on future optical communications is discussed.