1.4-MU-M INGAASP-INP STRAINED MULTIPLE-QUANTUM-WELL LASER FOR BROAD-WAVELENGTH TUNABILITY

InGaAsP-InP strained multiple-quantum-well (MQW) lasers for extended w avelength tunability in external cavity operation were designed, fabri cated, and tested. The active layer was a strain compensated structure consisting of three 3.2 +/- 0.3 nm and three 6.4 +/- 0.3 mm 1.0% comp ressive strained wells and five 10.3 +/- 0.3 nm 0.45% tensile strained barrier layers. A 2-mu m-wide ridge waveguide laser of length 250 mu m, when used in a grating external cavity and with no coatings to alte r the reflectivity of the facets, was observed to operate over a range >110 nm. The lasers were designed for applications in trace gas and l iquid detection with the goal to maximize the tunable range when opera ted in external cavities and with no facet coatings.