Analysis of the photon–photon resonance influence on the direct modulation bandwidth of dual-longitudinal-mode distributed feedback lasers

The paper explores the possibilities to extend the direct modulation bandwidth in dual-longitudinal-mode distributed feedback lasers by exploiting the photon–photon resonance induced by the interaction of the two modes in the laser cavity. The effects on the direct amplitude modulation and on the direct modulation of the difference frequency between the two modes are analyzed using simulation and experimental results. When the photon–photon resonance, which occurs at the difference frequency between the two modes, is properly placed at a higher frequency than the carrier-photon resonance, the small-signal amplitude modulation (AM) bandwidth of the laser can be significantly increased. However, both simulations and experiments point out that a high small-signal AM bandwidth does not lead to a high large-signal AM bandwidth if the small-signal modulation response has significant variations across the modulation bandwidth. The paper shows that a high large-signal AM bandwidth is obtained when the two modes are significantly unbalanced, whereas a high-bandwidth difference frequency modulation can be best detected when the two modes are balanced and the DC bias is properly chosen.     

Large-signal analysis of analog intensity modulation of semiconductor lasers

Large-signal analog intensity modulation of semiconductor lasers (SLs) is characterized based on numerical integration of the rate equations. The modulation dynamics are classified into seven types with regular and irregular signals. The classification is made in terms of the time trajectory of the laser intensity, phase portrait, and fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectrum. The operating region of each type is defined in a diagram of the modulation index versus modulation frequency. The accuracy of applying the approximate small-signal analysis to study analog modulation is assessed. The validity of identifying the dynamic types by the large-signal modulation response is examined. The laser emits continuous and regular signals under weak modulation. When the modulation index exceeds one half, the laser emits picosecond-pulses. Under strong modulation with frequencies around the relaxation frequency, both continuous and pulsed signals exhibit period-doubling.     

微腔半导体激光器的两种新调制方法

本文提出微腔半导体激光器的两种新调制方法:自发发射寿命调制和光子寿命调制。小信号近似分析的数值模拟结果表明,这两种调制方法的调制带宽大于同参数下的电流调制的带宽。     

Harmonic and intermodulation distortions and noise associated with two-tone modulation of high-speed semiconductor lasers

We present results of modeling and simulation of the harmonic and intermodulation distortions as well as the intensity noise of high-speed semiconductor lasers under two-tone modulation. Multiple quantum-well lasers are considered, which are characterized by large differential gain and a modulation bandwidth of about 25GHz. The study is based on the rate equation model of semiconductor lasers excited by injection current with two sinusoidal tones separated by a radio frequency. The modulated laser signal is modeled in both the time and frequency domains. The time domain characteristics include the fluctuating waveform, while the frequency domain characteristics include the frequency spectrum of the relative intensity noise (RIN), carrier-to-noise ratio, modulation response, harmonic distortion, and the second- and third-order intermodulation distortions (IMD2 and IMD3). The analysis is performed for three frequencies of 5, 15, and 24 GHz, which are, respectively, lower, comparable, and higher than the laser relaxation frequency. The range of the modulation depth covers the regimes of small and large-signal modulation. We show that both RIN and IMD3 of two-modulated laser are minimum when the modulation frequency is 5GHz, and maximum when the modulation frequency is 24 GHz. The second-order harmonic distortion, IMD2, and IMD3 values are larger in the vicinity of relaxation oscillations and increase with the modulation index, especially under large-signal modulation.     

Small-signal modulation characteristics for 1.5 μm lattice-matched InGaNAs/GaAs and InGaAs/InP quantum well lasers

The small-signal modulation characteristics of 1.5 m lattice-matched InGaNAs/GaAs and InGaAs/InP quantum well lasers and their temperature dependence have been calculated. It is found that the maximum bandwidth of the InGaNAs/GaAs quantum well lasers is about 2.3 times larger than that of the InGaAs/InP quantum well lasers due to the high differential gain which results from the large electron effective mass in the dilute nitride system. The slope efficiency for the 3 dB bandwidth as a function of optical density is twice as large for InGaNAs/GaAs as for InGaAs/InP quantum well lasers.     

One-dimensional numerical analysis of transistor lasers

We demonstrate one-dimensional numerical analysis of transistor lasers (TLs). The high frequency performances of TLs and laser diodes (LDs) are compared. The charging time definitions of the TL and LD are given. The TL has a larger bandwidth and a shorter rise time than the LD due to the shorter charging time in the former. We find that the bandwidth decreases and the eye diagram of 40?Gb/s is degraded with increasing base region width of the TL. Finally, compared with the TL, the bandwidth reduction of LDs at high injection currents is due to a narrower small-signal response for the virtual states carrier density to the modulation current ratio.     

Multimode modeling of digital modulation in nearly single-mode semiconductor lasers

We present multimode modeling of the digitalmodulation characteristics of nearly single-mode semiconductor lasers. The model takes into account the mechanisms of spectral suppression of modal gain; namely, symmetric and asymmetric gain suppressions. The digital modulation performance of the laser is quantitatively examined in terms of the turn-on jitter, on-off ratio and a Q-factor. We study the effect of the modulation parameters on the modulation characteristics of the laser. We also clarify the effect of the asymmetric gain suppression on the modulated signals of the oscillating modes. In addition, we examine the validity of modeling the digital modulation of the laser via a single-mode rate equation model. We show that the modulation characteristics improve with an increase in the bias and/or modulation current or with a decrease in the bit rate due to reduction in the bit-pattern effect. The asymmetric gain suppression does not affect the characteristics of the total laser signal, however it enhances the modulation of the nearest modes on the long-wavelength side of the gain spectrum.     

注入半导体激光器混沌调制性能与内部相位键控编码方法研究

研究注入半导体激光混沌调制解调及其性能特性，提出外部光注入半导体激光器混沌内部相位编码方法. 小信号调制分析了系统混沌调制响应函数和解调响应函数以及解调因子，系统的调制解调响应函数以及解调因子在60MHz有一个峰值，系统在高频调制时，响应函数和解调因子明显下降. 理论推导出混沌调制解调方程，给出了小信号调制时的信息信号的解，数值分析出系统在低频有一个调制解调峰值，高频调制解调效果下降，但系统仍可以进行10⁹Hz频率调制解调. 数值模拟并证明了系统在较大的参数范围内都能实现同步，模拟了混沌调制速率200Mb/s和调制频率1.4GHz的保密通信应用. 还通过键控调制注入光的相位相移对激光混沌态进行了编码，通过同步与非同步进行混沌解码，数值模拟了具有调制速率10Mb/s的混沌相位键控编码通信应用. 关键词： 混沌 同步 激光器 相位     

Modulation bandwidth of planar waveguide laser with 1D photonic crystal mirrors

An analysis of the 3-dB modulation bandwidth in planar waveguide laser based on 1D photonic crystal structures is presented. The theoretical model takes into account the gain saturation effect, transverse and longitudinal field distribution. A small-signal perturbation solution of the coupled laser rate equation is used to obtain relations describing the dynamic operation. In paper, the distributed Bragg resonator DBR created as 1D photonic crystal is considered. The active waveguide is surrounded by 1D photonic crystal mirrors consisting of alternately placed stripes with different refractive indices. In particular, the influence of the photonic crystal parameters on the 3-dB modulation bandwidth is investigated.     

Experimental modulation bandwidth beyond the relaxation oscillation frequency in a monolithic twin-ridge laterally coupled diode laser based on lateral mode locking

Monolithic twin-ridge laterally coupled diode lasers emitting at 1.3microm are presented that have a small-signal modulation bandwidth beyond the relaxation oscillation frequency of a single ridge. Spectra and spectrally resolved far fields are presented for three bias conditions: only one ridge lasing, both ridges lasing just above threshold, and both ridges lasing at biases well above threshold. In the first two cases the spectrum has single-peaked longitudinal modes, whereas the third cases shows splitting to in-phase and out-of-phase modes. The splitting frequency of the optical spectrum is measured to be 7.7 GHz. Small-signal modulation measurements reveal a strong resonance at 7.7 GHz, demonstrating an effect of lateral mode locking. As a result of this effect, the twin-ridge laser can be made to have a -3-dB bandwidth beyond that associated with its relaxation oscillation frequency.     

Carrier transport effects in quantum well lasers: an overview

Early theoretical predictions and later experimental work have shown that lasers with quantum well active areas have enhanced differential gain over bulk lasers. The resonance frequency in a semiconductor laser is proportional to the square root of the differential gain. The resonance frequency is directly related to the modulation bandwidth, and the enhancement in the intrinsic differential gain led to theoretical predictions of increased modulation bandwidth in quantum well lasers. This enhancement in the modulation bandwidth proved to be elusive initially, and later it was realized that other factors, namely carrier transport effects, played a more dominant role in the high-speed properties of quantum well lasers. Carrier transport effects, in addition to bandfilling, affect a wide range of static and dynamic properties of the quantum well lasers. This paper will present an overview of our present understanding of the carrier transport processes and their effects in quantum well lasers.     

基于波长调制技术的激光器调制特性研究

在流场诊断技术中,可调谐半导体吸收光谱技术（TDLAS）成为主要的诊断技术之一,其可实现非接触、原位检测。波长调制（WMS）和直接吸收(DA)是两种最常用的TDLAS气体传感方法,在目标含量很低或者极端流场环境下,波长调制技术呈现出更多的优势,检测灵敏度与直接吸收相比可以提高1～2个数量级。在近红外波长调制技术应用领域,分布反馈式（DFB）半导体激光器成为流场诊断技术的光源选择之一,无论利用谐波信号（或者归一化谐波信号）的线型拟合,还是选择谐波信号的峰值来反演流场参数,吸收模型的准确建立均十分重要。在模型建立时,激光器频率-时间响应以及光强-时间响应的准确表示尤为重要。为解决吸收模型准确建立问题,提出了一种准确测量激光器调制参数的完整方法,通过实验测量了用于探测水汽吸收的1 392和1 469 nm激光器的调制特性,研究了分布反馈式激光器的调制参数随调制幅度,调制频率以及工作温度的变化。根据该方法得到的调制参数,建立吸收模型,测得常温下空气中水汽浓度为1.97%,直接吸收方法测得浓度为1.99%,验证了该测量方法的准确性。研究表明,调制深度随调制幅度的增加线性增加,随调制频率的增加非线性单调减小,随工作温度的升高线性增加;激光器的出光强度和频率同时被调制,强度变化超前频率变化的相位,随调制幅度的变化不明显,随调制频率的增加单调增加,随工作温度的升高单调减小;归一化一次谐波振幅和二次振幅均随调制幅度的增加而增加,随调制频率的增加而减小,随工作温度的变化不明显。在吸收光谱应用领域,波长调制技术发挥的作用愈加重要,调制系数与谐波信号的峰值息息相关,在波长调制技术应用时,选取适当的调制参数,有利于得到合适的谐波信号,可通过改变调制幅度、调制频率、工作温度得到最优调制系数。研究了近红外分布反馈式半导体激光器的调制特性,该方法同样适用于不同封装和不同波段激光器调制特性的研究,利于推广吸收光谱技术在各领域的应用。     

Modulation response of dynamic single-mode quantum-well heterolasers in the 1.5 μm range

Numerical modelling is used to study the effect of tuning the laser output over the gain bandwidth on the modulation response of GaInAs–GaInAsP quantum-well heterolasers for different modulation frequencies of the pump current. It is found that the maximum frequency bandwidth of the response band and the greatest feasibility of high speed modulation for transmission of signals in information systems are achieved in the center of the gain band. Raising the dc component of the pump current increases the response bandwidth. For typical parameters of this system (near 1.5 μm) the maximum response bandwidth can approach ≈40 GHz. For certain parameters, the amplitude-frequency characteristics of the heterolasers have two local maxima: one at low frequency corresponding usually to a resonance for the 1/2 subharmonic and one at high frequency, for the fundamental resonance.     

Major features of frequency sweeping of emission from heterojunction quantum lasers

We have used numerical modeling to establish the major features of the variation (sweeping) of the “ instantaneous” laser frequency of heterojunction quantum lasers as a function of the pump current modulation frequency and tuning of the lasing frequency within the gain band. The active medium is described within a two-band model with identical distribution of levels for the electron and hole subbands, assuming transitions with no selection rule between the ground-state subbands. Sweeping of the laser frequency occurs due to variation of the refractive index of the active medium, as a result of the variation in the concentration of nonequilibrium charge carriers. Laser frequency sweeping does not occur for low current modulation frequencies, corresponding to realization of the quasisteady-state lasing regime. In the other limiting case of relatively high current modulation frequencies, the modulation depth of the laser output also tends toward zero. The magnitude of the sweep is greatest in the intermediate current modulation frequency region. For a specified current modulation frequency, the dynamic shift of the laser mode depends on the position of the lasing frequency within the gain band. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 74, No. 2, pp. 223–229, March–April, 2007.     

Lateral Current Injection (LCI) Multiple Quantum-Well 1.55 μm Laser with Improved Gain Uniformity Across the Active Region

A simulation study of lateral current injection 1.55 m laser with strain-compensated multiple quantum-well (MQW) active region (InGaAsP well, InGaAlAs barrier) is presented using self-consistent 2D numerical simulations. The effects of different mesa width and p-doping in the QWs on the carrier and gain uniformity across the active region are explored. A high p-doping in the quantum wells is found to increases the carrier and gain non-uniformity across the active region. The QW region close to the n-contact side does not provide much gain at high optical powers. An asymmetric optical waveguide design is proposed to help reduce the gain non-uniformity across the active region. By shifting the optical modal peak toward the p-side, the modal overlap between the gain region and the optical mode is improved and a more even carrier and gain distribution is obtained. However, due to reduced bandgap of the quaternary InGaAsP p-cladding, an enhanced electron leakage out of the QWs into the p-cladding degrades the laser efficiency and increases the threshold current. Transient time–domain simulations are also performed to determine the small-signal modulation response of the laser promising a simulated high modulation bandwidth suitable for direct-modulation applications.     

不同宽带脉冲在钕玻璃放大器中的幅频效应

宽带脉冲在钕玻璃放大器中传输时,由于受到增益窄化和增益饱和效应的影响,脉冲频谱将受到调制,从而产生边带丢失或者频谱两侧失衡,进而导致脉冲时间波形产生调制。针对不同的宽带光源模型,数值模拟了放大器输出波形的幅度调制,分析了增益带宽、输入脉冲带宽及增益曲线中心波长相对输入脉冲中心波长的偏差等因素对输出脉冲调制度的影响。结果表明:不同的宽带光源脉冲经过钕玻璃放大器后,均会产生不同程度的幅度调制;啁啾堆积脉冲比正弦相位调制脉冲产生的幅度调制小。     

Mode and modulation characteristics for microsquare lasers with a vertex output waveguide

The mode and high-speed modulation characteristics are investigated for a microsquare laser with a side length of 16 ?m and a 2-?m-wide output waveguide connected to one vertex. The longitudinal and transverse mode characteristics are analyzed by numerical simulation and light ray model, and compared with the lasing spectra for the microsquare laser. Up to the fifth transverse mode is observed clearly from the lasing spectra. Single mode operation with the side mode suppression ratio of 41 d B is realized at the injection current of 24 m A, and the maximum output power of 0.53(0.18) m W coupled into the multiple(single) mode fiber is obtained at the current of 35 m A, for the microsquare laser at the temperature of 288 K. Furthermore, a flat small-signal modulation response is reached with the 3-d B bandwidth of 16.2 GHz and the resonant peak of 3.6 d B at the bias current of 34 m A. The K-factor of 0.22 ns is obtained by fitting the damping factor versus the resonant frequency, which implies a maximum intrinsic 3-d B bandwidth of 40 GHz.     

Frequency sweeping of emission from heterojunction quantum lasers with pump current modulation

We have used numerical modeling to study the dynamic shift of the “instantaneous” laser frequency (sweeping) as a function of the pump current modulation frequency for heterojunction quantum lasers when the lasing frequency is tuned within the gain band. As the model for the active medium, we used a two-band model with identical distribution of levels for the electron and hole subbands, in which we take into account direct transitions between the ground-state subbands. We have established that the variation in the sweep qualitatively corresponds to the behavior of the amplitude detuning characteristics of the laser. Depending on the parameters of the system during emission of pulses, the variation in the laser frequency can be monotonic or nonmonotonic. By selecting the pump current modulation frequency and setting the laser frequency within the gain band, we can realize the cases of maximum or minimum dynamic shift of the lasing frequency. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 3, pp. 370–374, May–June, 2006.     

各向异性外腔微片Nd:YAG激光器调频回馈研究

研究了在各向异性外腔下微片Nd:YAG激光器调频回馈特性.作为对比,首先给出了在各向同性外腔下调频回馈结果,激光器输出功率的半波条纹数正比于外、内腔长度之比.在回馈外腔中内置一个四分之一波片,激光偏振态发生规律性跳变,每个纵模带宽内的偏振跳变次数正比于外、内腔长之比,相同外腔长下,回馈条纹再次倍频.进行了基于法布里-珀罗腔等效模型的理论分析,结果和实验相符合.此现象在精密测量领域有潜在应用. 关键词： 光回馈 调频回馈 各向异性外腔 半波条纹数