Laterally coupled dual-grating distributed feedback lasers for generating mode-beat terahertz signals.

We present a laterally coupled dual wavelength 1.56/1.57-μm AlGaInAs/InP DFB laser, which, by introducing two different grating periods on each sidewall, emits two longitudinal modes simultaneously within the same cavity at a frequency separation of 0.82 THz. The beating signal is stabilized by nonlinear four-wave mixing in an electro-absorption modulator (EAM), located within a monolithically integrated resonant cavity. A stable 0.82-THz beating signal was observed over a wide range of bias parameters in terms of drive currents and bias to the DFB and EAM sections.