Wavelength switching by mode interference of coupled cavities with photonic crystal reflectors

We report the development of current-controlled widely tunable laser diodes based on InP with photonic crystal reflectors. The lasers consist of two longitudinally coupled and individually contacted segments that are coupled through photonic crystal sections. Two designs are presented, one based on a gain-coupled distributed feedback mechanism, the second based on contra-directional coupling of two photonic crystal waveguides. The emission wavelength can be switched quasi-continuously over a range around 53 nm for the first design.