Wavelength tuning in InGaAs/InGaAsP quantum well lasers using pulsed-photoabsorption-induced disordering

Pulsed-laser irradiation followed by rapid thermal annealing was used to induce layer disordering of an InGaAs/InGaAsP laser structure. A band gap shift larger than 160 nm was achieved using energy densities of about 3.9 mJ mm^-2 with 4800 pulses of laser irradiation. Transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence were used to understand the possible effect of the laser irradiation on the material structure. Band gap-tuned lasers exhibiting blueshift up to 82 nm were obtained. This approach offers the prospect of a powerful and relatively simple postgrowth process for integrating multiple-wavelength lasers for wavelength-division-multiplexing applications.