US Patent 9595809 Wavelength tunable laser device and optical coherence tomography apparatus

A wavelength tunable laser device, including: a first reflector; a second reflector; an active layer formed between the first reflector and the second reflector; a quantum well structure layer that exhibits a quantum confined stark effect; and an electrode configured to apply a reverse bias voltage to the quantum well structure layer, wherein the active layer and the second reflector have a gap formed therebetween, the gap having a length to be changed to thereby sweep a resonance wavelength, and wherein the electrode is further configured to change application of the reverse bias voltage to be applied to the quantum well structure layer depending on the length of the gap when the resonance wavelength is swept.