Two-channel tunable laser diode based on photonic crystals

We report the development of a tunable laser diode array monolithically integrated with a Y-coupler structure based on photonic crystals. The laser diodes consist of two longitudinally coupled photonic crystal waveguide segments that are separated by a photonic crystal mirror section. Quasicontinuous tuning is achieved in a 30.6-nm window with 100-GHz channel spacing as typically required by wavelength-division-multiplexing applications. The sources can be operated independently allowing the simultaneous transmission of two freely selectable wavelengths.