Characterization of a multiwavelength waveguide grating router laser

Measurements on a multiwavelength laser source that is based on the integration of semiconductor amplifiers with a waveguide grating multiplexer are reported. The source can emit cw simultaneously on 11 frequencies that are precisely spaced by 3.2 nm. Laser oscillation occurs on a single longitudinal mode with a 5 MHz line width. The 18 mm long cavity limits the direct modulation rate to several hundred Mbps.>