We report on the unexpected large influence of facet properties on wavelength shift and wavelength chirp in uncoated and coated distributed feedback (DFB) lasers. A detailed comparison is performed between various experimental laser data (spectra, electronic and thermal wavelength tunability, relative intensity noise, linewidth) and the results of transfer matrix model calculations. From experimental data of different lasers, a set of physical DFB laser parameters was determined. We succeeded in describing all the experimental data of different lasers by the same parameter set. By use of this set we found that the wavelength chirp and the wavelength shift due to electronic effects including spatial hole burning varies considerably for different end facet phases and facet coatings, but otherwise identical DFB lasers.

Date Published: 25 August 1994
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 2212, Linear and Nonlinear Integrated Optics, (25 August 1994); doi: 10.1117/12.185112

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2212:
Linear and Nonlinear Integrated Optics
Giancarlo C. Righini; David Yevick, Editor(s)