Edge-emitting semiconductor laser having asymmetric interference filters

An edge-emitting laser, comprising:

• a waveguide laser stripe formed in a semiconductor chip and extending between opposed first and second facets of said chip and having a gain spectrum having a peak at a first wavelength;
• a first Fabry-Perot interference filter formed on said chip to intercept light from said stripe and having a reflectivity notch at a second wavelength;
• a second Fabry-Perot interference filter formed on said chip to intercept light from said stripe and having a reflectivity notch at a third wavelength;
• wherein said second and third wavelengths differ by no more than 2% and bracket said first wavelength.

A multi-wavelength laser, comprising:

• a vertical structure including p-type and n-type layers formed in a semiconductor chip;
• a plurality of laser stripes formed in said vertical structure and extending from a first facet to a second facet of said chip;
• and
• for each of said laser stripes a first dielectric interference mirror formed on said first facet at an end of said each laser stripe and a second dielectric interference mirror formed on said second facet at another end of said each laser stripe, said first mirror having a transmittance spectrum having a notch at a first notch wavelength thereof, said second mirror having a transmittance spectrum having a notch at second notch wavelength thereof, said first and second wavelengths differing by no more than 5%, thereby producing an emission wavelength for said each laser stripe intermediate said first and second notch wavelengths,
• wherein said plurality of laser stripes in combination output a plurality of emission wavelengths.