16 channels, switchable external cavity-based multi-wavelength laser for DWDM applications

The integration of a multi-strip laser chip within a diffraction grating-based external cavity produces a wavelength-switchable DWDM laser source. This design induces long term wavelength intrinsic stability and high output power and requires no tuning mechanism to provide the 16 intrinsically stable wavelengths, which can be aligned on the ITU-grid. The absence of moving parts or tuning currents, and the fact that the actual wavelength is determined by the geometrical properties of the designs, ensure that no long-term drift of the wavelength will occur. Finally the optical characteristics of the laser are those related to the external cavity laser technology, namely high output power, narrow linewidth, and high SMSR.