External cavity laser devices provide multimode laser operation by using a wavelength selective element that produces a spectral width profile able to support multiple longitudinal laser modes. The spectral width profile, for example, may have a substantially flat response across multiple longitudinal laser modes, such that no single mode predominates. The wavelength selective elements may be gratings written in waveguides, where the grating's bandwidth as well as the laser cavity length set the number of supported longitudinal laser modes. In some examples, a tuning element may be used to adjust device operation. In further examples, a laser gain region and the wavelength selective element may be angled with respect to adjacent coupling facets to reduce reflection losses within the laser cavity.