A flexible polymeric Bragg reflector is fabricated for the purpose of demonstrating widely tunable lasers with a compact simple structure. The external feedback of the Bragg reflected light into a superluminescent laser diode produces the lasing of a certain resonance wavelength. The highly elastic polymer device enables the direct tuning of the Bragg wavelength by controlling the imposed strain and provides a much wider tuning range than silica fiber Bragg gratings or thermo-optic tuned polymer devices. Both compressive and tensile strains are applied within the range from −36000 με to 35000 με, so as to accomplish the continuous tuning of the Bragg reflection wavelength over a range of up to 100 nm. The external feedback laser with the tunable Bragg reflector exhibits a repetitive wavelength tuning range of 80 nm with a side mode suppression ratio of 35 dB.

© 2010 OSA

1. L. A. Coldren, G. A. Fish, Y. Akulova, J. S. Barton, L. Johansson, and C.W. Coldren, “Tunable semiconductor Lasers: A Tutorial,” J. Lightwave Technol. 22, 193–202 (2004). [CrossRef]
2. A. Yalcin, K. C. Popat, J. C. Aldridge, T. A. Desai, J. Hryniewicz, N. Chbouki, B. E. Little, Oliver King, V. Van, Sai Chu, D. Gill, M. Anthes-Washburn, M. S. Unlu, and B. B. Goldberg, “Optical sensing of biomolecules using microring resonators,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 12(1), 148–155 (2006). [CrossRef]
3. K. Pran, G. B. Havsgård, G. Sagvolden, Ø. Farsund, and G. Wang, “Wavelength multiplexed fibre Bragg grating system for high-strain health monitoring applications,” Meas. Sci. Technol. 13, 471–476 (2002).
4. R. Huber, M. Wojtkowski, and J. G. Fujimoto, “Fourier Domain Mode Locking (FDML): A new laser operating regime and applications for optical coherence tomography,” Opt. Express 14(8), 3225–3237 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. Y. A. Akulova, G. A. Fish, C. L. Ping-Chiek Koh, P. Schow, A. P. Kozodoy, S. Dahl, M. C. Nakagawa, M. P. Larson, T. A. Mack, C. W. Strand, E. Coldren, S. K. Hegblom, T. Penniman, Wipiejewski, and L. A. Coldren, “Widely Tunable Electroabsorption-Modulated Sampled-Grating DBR Laser Transmitter,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 8(6), 1349–1357 (2002). [CrossRef]
6. L. A. Johansson, Y. A. Akulova, C. Coldren, and L. A. Coldren, “Improving the Performance of Sampled-Grating DBR Laser-Based Analog Optical Transmitters,” J. Lightwave Technol. 26(7), 807–815 (2008). [CrossRef]
7. K. Takabayashi, K. Takada, N. Hashimoto, M. Doi, S. Tomabechi, T. Nakazawa, and K. Morito, “Widely (132 nm) wavelength tunable laser using a semiconductor optical amplifier and an acousto-optic tunable filter,” Electron. Lett. 40(19), 1187–1188 (2004). [CrossRef]
8. Y. Deki, T. Hatanaka, M. Takahashi, T. Takeuchi, S. Watanabe, S. Takaesu, T. Miyazaki, M. Horie, and H. Yamazaki, “Wide-wavelength tunable lasers with 100 GHz FSR ring resonators,” Electron. Lett. 43(4), 225–226 (2007). [CrossRef]
9. L. Eldada and L. W. Shacklette, “Advances in polymer integrated optics,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 6(1), 54–68 (2000). [CrossRef]
10. Y. Noh, C. Lee, J. Kim, W. Hwang, Y. Won, H. Lee, S. Han, and M. Oh, “Polymer waveguide variable optical attenuator and its reliability,” Opt. Commun. 242(4-6), 533–540 (2004). [CrossRef]
11. Y.-O. Noh, H.-J. Lee, Y.-H. Won, and M.-C. Oh, “Polymer waveguide thermo-optic switches with −70 dB optical crosstalk,” Opt. Commun. 258(1), 18–22 (2006). [CrossRef]
12. M.-C. Oh, S.-H. Cho, and H.-J. Lee, “Fabrication of Large-Core Single-Mode Polymer Waveguide Connecting to a Thermally Expanded Core Fiber for Increased Alignment Tolerance,” Opt. Commun. 246(4-6), 337–343 (2005). [CrossRef]
13. S.-W. Ahn, K.-D. Lee, D.-H. Kim, and S.-S. Lee, “Polymeric wavelength filter based on a Bragg grating using nanoimprint technique,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 17(10), 2122–2124 (2005). [CrossRef]
14. H.-C. Song, M.-C. Oh, S.-W. Ahn, W. H. Steier, H. R. Fetterman, and C. Zhang, “Flexible low voltage electro-optic polymer modulators,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 82(25), 4432–4434 (2003). [CrossRef]
15. Y.-O. Noh, H.-J. Lee, J. J. Ju, M.- Kim, S. H. Oh, and M.-C. Oh, “Continuously tunable compact Lasers based on thermo-optic polymer waveguide with Bragg grating,” Opt. Express 16(22), 18194–18201 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. C. S. Goh, M. R. Mokhtar, S. A. Butler, S. Y. Set, K. Kikuchi, and M. Ibsen, “Wavelength tuning of fiber Bragg gratings over 90 nm using a simple tuning package,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 15(4), 557–559 (2003). [CrossRef]
17. K.-J. Kim, J.-K. Seo, and M.-C. Oh, “Strain induced tunable wavelength filters based on flexible polymer waveguide Bragg reflector,” Opt. Express 16(3), 1423–1430 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
18. M.-C. Oh, H. Zhang, A. Szep, W. H. Steier, C. Zhang, L. R. Dalton, H. Erlig, Y. Chang, B. Tsap, and H. R. Fetterman, “Recent advances in electro-optic polymer modulators incorporating phenyltetraene bridged chromophore,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 7(5), 826–835 (2001). [CrossRef]
19. K.-J. Kim and M.-C. Oh, “Flexible Bragg reflection waveguide devices fabricated by post-lift-off process,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 20(4), 288–290 (2008). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• H.-C. Song, M.-C. Oh, S.-W. Ahn, W. H. Steier, H. R. Fetterman, and C. Zhang, “Flexible low voltage electro-optic polymer modulators,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 82(25), 4432–4434 (2003). [CrossRef]

Electron. Lett.

• K. Takabayashi, K. Takada, N. Hashimoto, M. Doi, S. Tomabechi, T. Nakazawa, and K. Morito, “Widely (132 nm) wavelength tunable laser using a semiconductor optical amplifier and an acousto-optic tunable filter,” Electron. Lett. 40(19), 1187–1188 (2004). [CrossRef]
• Y. Deki, T. Hatanaka, M. Takahashi, T. Takeuchi, S. Watanabe, S. Takaesu, T. Miyazaki, M. Horie, and H. Yamazaki, “Wide-wavelength tunable lasers with 100 GHz FSR ring resonators,” Electron. Lett. 43(4), 225–226 (2007). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.

• L. Eldada and L. W. Shacklette, “Advances in polymer integrated optics,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 6(1), 54–68 (2000). [CrossRef]
• A. Yalcin, K. C. Popat, J. C. Aldridge, T. A. Desai, J. Hryniewicz, N. Chbouki, B. E. Little, Oliver King, V. Van, Sai Chu, D. Gill, M. Anthes-Washburn, M. S. Unlu, and B. B. Goldberg, “Optical sensing of biomolecules using microring resonators,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 12(1), 148–155 (2006). [CrossRef]
• Y. A. Akulova, G. A. Fish, C. L. Ping-Chiek Koh, P. Schow, A. P. Kozodoy, S. Dahl, M. C. Nakagawa, M. P. Larson, T. A. Mack, C. W. Strand, E. Coldren, S. K. Hegblom, T. Penniman, Wipiejewski, and L. A. Coldren, “Widely Tunable Electroabsorption-Modulated Sampled-Grating DBR Laser Transmitter,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 8(6), 1349–1357 (2002). [CrossRef]
• M.-C. Oh, H. Zhang, A. Szep, W. H. Steier, C. Zhang, L. R. Dalton, H. Erlig, Y. Chang, B. Tsap, and H. R. Fetterman, “Recent advances in electro-optic polymer modulators incorporating phenyltetraene bridged chromophore,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 7(5), 826–835 (2001). [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.

• K.-J. Kim and M.-C. Oh, “Flexible Bragg reflection waveguide devices fabricated by post-lift-off process,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 20(4), 288–290 (2008). [CrossRef]
• C. S. Goh, M. R. Mokhtar, S. A. Butler, S. Y. Set, K. Kikuchi, and M. Ibsen, “Wavelength tuning of fiber Bragg gratings over 90 nm using a simple tuning package,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 15(4), 557–559 (2003). [CrossRef]
• S.-W. Ahn, K.-D. Lee, D.-H. Kim, and S.-S. Lee, “Polymeric wavelength filter based on a Bragg grating using nanoimprint technique,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 17(10), 2122–2124 (2005). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• L. A. Coldren, G. A. Fish, Y. Akulova, J. S. Barton, L. Johansson, and C.W. Coldren, “Tunable semiconductor Lasers: A Tutorial,” J. Lightwave Technol. 22, 193–202 (2004). [CrossRef]
• L. A. Johansson, Y. A. Akulova, C. Coldren, and L. A. Coldren, “Improving the Performance of Sampled-Grating DBR Laser-Based Analog Optical Transmitters,” J. Lightwave Technol. 26(7), 807–815 (2008). [CrossRef]

Meas. Sci. Technol.

• K. Pran, G. B. Havsgård, G. Sagvolden, Ø. Farsund, and G. Wang, “Wavelength multiplexed fibre Bragg grating system for high-strain health monitoring applications,” Meas. Sci. Technol. 13, 471–476 (2002).

Opt. Commun.

• Y. Noh, C. Lee, J. Kim, W. Hwang, Y. Won, H. Lee, S. Han, and M. Oh, “Polymer waveguide variable optical attenuator and its reliability,” Opt. Commun. 242(4-6), 533–540 (2004). [CrossRef]
• Y.-O. Noh, H.-J. Lee, Y.-H. Won, and M.-C. Oh, “Polymer waveguide thermo-optic switches with −70 dB optical crosstalk,” Opt. Commun. 258(1), 18–22 (2006). [CrossRef]
• M.-C. Oh, S.-H. Cho, and H.-J. Lee, “Fabrication of Large-Core Single-Mode Polymer Waveguide Connecting to a Thermally Expanded Core Fiber for Increased Alignment Tolerance,” Opt. Commun. 246(4-6), 337–343 (2005). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• R. Huber, M. Wojtkowski, and J. G. Fujimoto, “Fourier Domain Mode Locking (FDML): A new laser operating regime and applications for optical coherence tomography,” Opt. Express 14(8), 3225–3237 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Y.-O. Noh, H.-J. Lee, J. J. Ju, M.- Kim, S. H. Oh, and M.-C. Oh, “Continuously tunable compact Lasers based on thermo-optic polymer waveguide with Bragg grating,” Opt. Express 16(22), 18194–18201 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• K.-J. Kim, J.-K. Seo, and M.-C. Oh, “Strain induced tunable wavelength filters based on flexible polymer waveguide Bragg reflector,” Opt. Express 16(3), 1423–1430 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

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