8-wavelength DBR laser array fabricated with a single-step Bragg grating printing technique

Abstract
An 8-wavelength distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) array for narrow channel wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) has been fabricated with a new technique for printing first-order Bragg gratings using a phase mask and a conventional incoherent source. All the distributed gratings were printed in a single photolithographic step with a slightly modified mask aligner. The DBR's excellent wavelength control for channels separated by as little as 0.8 nm is described. Many advanced photonic devices relying on gratings like quarter-wave shifted distributed feedback (DFB) lasers and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) components can potentially be manufactured with this technique in a simple and cost-effective way.