WIDELY TUNABLE, SINGLE MODE EMISSION SEMICONDUCTOR LASER

The present invention provides a widely tunable, single mode emission semiconductor laser which comprises a semiconductor substrate, a first linear ridge waveguide which forms a first coupled cavity, and a second linear ridge waveguide which forms a second coupled cavity, with the first coupled cavity being separated from the second coupled cavity by a gap. The first and second coupled cavities comprise p-contacts and n-contacts for allowing laser currents I1, I2 to be injected into the first and second coupled cavities, respectively. The first and second coupled cavities comprise first and second heating resistors, respectively, for heating the first and second coupled cavities when heating currents H1, H2 are applied to the first and second heating resistors, respectively. A heating resistor is provided for heating the semiconductor substrate of the semiconductor laser so as to regulate the base temperature T of the chip (i.e., the semiconductor substrate).