The Group III–V quaternary, InAlGaAs is employed as a waveguide layer in optical components, such as In-P based array waveguide gratings (AWGs), avalanche photodiodes (APDs) or other optical components that contain a waveguide core in the InP regime. The deployment of InAlGaAs waveguides provides for high uniform photoluminescent (PL) emission wavelength across the wafer for InAlGaAs waveguides as compared to InGaAsP waveguides as now commonly employed in such optical devices or components. The use of an InAlGaAs waveguide core has particular utility when deployed in a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) such as an AWG with a plurality of outputs optically integrated with a plurality of photodetectors, such as APDs which are exemplified in this disclosure. In lieu of an InAlGaAs waveguide, combination layers of InGaAs/InAlAs, InGaAs/InAlGaAs or InAlAs/InAlGaAs may be employed or stacks of such layers to form the waveguides in the PIC chip.