Monolithically integrated InGaAsP multiple quantum well tunable laser diode for integrated optic surface plasmon resonance sensing

Thamer A. Tabbakh; Patrick L. Likamwa

doi:10.1117/1.OE.57.12.120503

18 December 2018 Monolithically integrated InGaAsP multiple quantum well tunable laser diode for integrated optic surface plasmon resonance sensing

Thamer A. Tabbakh, Patrick L. Likamwa

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 57, Issue 12, 120503 (December 2018). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.57.12.120503

Abstract

We demonstrate an InGaAsP multiple quantum well tunable laser diode consisting of two gain sections with different bandgap energy levels. This tunable laser is used as a probing source for an optical sensor that makes use of surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Lasers fabricated on a single monolithic substrate can have widely differing output wavelengths. Therefore, by controlling the extent of the intermixing, the bandgap energy of the material can be accurately tuned over a broad spectral range. The regions of different bandgap energies are achieved using selective area intermixing of the multiple quantum wells, through impurity-free vacancy-induced disordering. By varying the current combination that was injected to each section, the laser wavelength can be effortlessly tuned from 1538 to 1578 nm with relatively constant output power. The free spectral range of the tunable laser is found to be 0.25 nm. This tunable laser was launched into an optical SPR sensor head that was fabricated on an inverted rib dielectric waveguide to provide an input light source for the SPR sensor. The average sensitivity of the SPR sensor devices was determined to be S = 334 nm RIU^− 1.

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Thamer A. Tabbakh and Patrick L. Likamwa "Monolithically integrated InGaAsP multiple quantum well tunable laser diode for integrated optic surface plasmon resonance sensing," Optical Engineering 57(12), 120503 (18 December 2018). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.57.12.120503

Received: 18 September 2018; Accepted: 29 November 2018; Published: 18 December 2018

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