Design of a novel circular wavelength division multiplexing laser chip (CWDLC) using an open loop laser design algorithm

This paper examines the major issues in the design and fabrication of a circular wavelength division multiplexing laser chip (CWDLC) which is composed of 8 buried heterostructure, InGaAs multiple quantum well distributed feedback lasers (BH-MQW-DFB). The CWDLC has the advantage of being quite small-820 /spl mu/m in diameter-which is a factor of ten times smaller than other integrated WDM laser chips reported in the literature. Only 5% of the surface area is utilized; the unused area could be used to fabricate monitor and drive circuitry for the individual lasers.