40-GHz dual-mode-locked widely tunable sampled-grating DBR laser

Generation of 40-GHz alternate-phase pulses is demonstrated using a dual-mode-locked sampled-grating distributed Bragg reflector laser. More than 10-dB extinction and >20-dB sidemode suppression ratio is measured over the >40-nm tuning range of the laser. Based on captured phase noise spectra, the timing jitter is estimated in the 0.35-0.41-ps range. The demonstrated dual-mode laser would form an attractive basis for an integrated 40-Gb/s return-to-zero transmitter.