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.     

Numerical study of the spiking instability caused by modulation frequency detuning in an actively mode-locked solid-state laser

We have studied both analytically and numerically the transient active mode locking in the case of a modulation frequency detuning. Analytical results for pulse width and position, extending previous works, are obtained within the frame of the stationary theory by assuming that a short pulse restores its shape after each round trip. Numerical evaluation leads to relaxation oscillations and change of the short-pulse shape. The results of both approaches agree with each other only for small detunings, when laser is operated in the steady state. For larger detunings the laser dynamics change dramatically, and the three operation modes observed earlier in experiments were demonstrated numerically: sequences of damped relaxation oscillations, deep periodic spiking and chaotic spiking. The periodic spiking can be used to increase the intensity of mode-locked pulses.     

Study of the optical feedback-induced noise in semiconductor lasers and applications to the optic disc system

The dynamics and noise of semiconductor lasers under optical feedback (OFB) have been simulated. The study is performed as applied to an optic-disc system in which laser radiation is reflected by the disc surface and re-injected into the laser cavity. We examine the possibility of suppressing OFB-induced noise in the optic-disc system by the technique of superposition of high-frequency current. The study is based on numerical integration of the time-delay rate equations of semiconductor lasers under OFB. The laser noise is evaluated in terms of the spectral profile of relative intensity noise (RIN). It is shown that RIN is enhanced when states of chaos are generated, and attains minimum levels under continuous-wave operation just before the laser starts the route to chaos. The suppression of RIN in the low-frequency regime is achieved when the superposition-current frequency exceeds the laser resonance frequency by factors of 0.8, 1.0, and 1.1 and when the modulation depth exceeds 0.4.     

Mode-competition noise associated with microwave modulation of multimode semiconductor lasers

We analyze the mode-competition (MC) phenomenon and the associated noise in multimode semiconductor lasers at microwave modulation. The study is based on the multimode rate-equation model, which takes into account the mechanisms of modal gain suppression. The MC is evaluated by the correlation coefficients between oscillating modes in the laser cavity. We show that an increase in the modulation depth changes the mode coupling from anticorrelation to positive correlation and then to complete coupling, which corresponds to emission of periodic pulses. The frequency spectra of relative intensity noise (RIN) exhibit sharp peaks at the modulation frequency and higher harmonics. The increase in the modulation depth is associated with suppression of the total and modal RIN under high-frequency modulation and with noise enhancement under low-frequency modulation.     

相位调制信号对窄线宽光纤放大器线宽特性和受激布里渊散射阈值的影响

高功率窄线宽光纤放大器的输出功率主要受限于受激布里渊散射(SBS)效应,通过相位调制进行线宽展宽可以有效抑制SBS效应.基于窄线宽光纤放大器中的SBS动力学模型,研究了正弦信号、白噪声信号和伪随机编码信号(PRBS)对窄线宽光纤放大器光谱特性与SBS阈值的影响.研究发现,采用不同信号进行相位调制时,调制频率和调制深度等参数对调制后激光光谱的谱线间隔、谱线数目与光谱平整度的影响存在较大差异,进而影响放大器的线宽特性和SBS阈值.通过对比分析,给出了调制信号的类型选择和参数优化原则,能够为窄线宽光纤放大器的相位调制系统设计提供参考.     

激光混沌串联同步以及混沌中继器系统理论研究

提出混沌通信中继器设想，建立半导体激光器激光混沌全光中继器物理模型，理论证明了激光混沌中继器系统的同步.数值实现了发射系统、中继器系统、接收系统的混沌同步，分析了系统反馈系数和同步误差以及同步时间的关系.模拟了中继器系统在激光混沌保密通信中的应用，分别给出了具有正弦信号调制频率0.2GHz和数字信号0.2Gb/s速率的混沌通信以及同步误差分析，表明混沌中继器系统确能改善和提高激光混沌通信的解码质量.分析了中继器系统的带宽和20Gb/s高速率数字信号混沌通信以及同步误差，给出了具有正弦信号调制频率0.1—2 关键词： 混沌 同步 激光器 中继器     

Chaotic synchronization and evolution of optical phase in a bidirectional solid-state ring laser

We present results on experimental and theoretical studies of chaos in a solid-state ring laser with periodic pump modulation. We show that the synchronized chaos in the counter-propagating waves is observed for the values of pump modulation frequency fp satisfying the inequality f1 < fp < f2. The boundaries of this region, f1 and f2, depend on the pump-modulation depth. Inside the region of synchronized chaos we study not only dynamics of amplitudes of the counter-propagating waves but also the optical phases of them by mixing the fields of the counter-propagating waves and recording the intensity of the mixed signal. We demonstrate experimentally that in the regime of synchronized chaos the regular phase jumps appear during intervals between adjacent chaotic pulses. We improve the standard semi-classical model of a SSRL and consider an effect of spontaneous emission noise on the temporal evolution of intensities and phase dynamics in the regime of synchronized chaos. It is shown that at the parameters of the experimentally studied laser the noise strongly affects the temporal dependence of amplitudes of the counter-propagating waves.     

Pulse compression in a longitudinally inhomogeneous fiber

A single-mode fiber with a linear or sinusoidal variation in the group-velocity dispersion is fabricated. The nonreciprocal effects and pulse compression due to the longitudinal oscillations of the fiber dispersion are experimentally demonstrated. The periodic modulation of the dispersion can be used to control the pulse dynamics.     

Periodic and chaotic oscillations in mutual-coupled mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers

Dynamic states in mutual-coupled mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) were numerically investigated in the parameter space of injection strength and detuning frequency based on the Lang—Kobayashi equations model. Three types of period-one states were found, with different periods of injection time delay τ_inj, 2τ_inj, and reciprocal of the detuning frequency. Besides, square-wave, quasi-period, pulse-burst and chaotic oscillations were also observed. It is concluded that external-cavity periodic dynamics and optical modes beating are the mainly periodic dynamics. The interaction of the two periodic dynamics and the high-frequency dynamics stimulated by strong injection induces the dynamic states evolution. This work helps to understand the dynamic behaviors in QCLs and shows a new way to mid-infrared wide-band chaotic laser.     

Chaotic Oscillations in a Nonlinear Lumped-Parameter Transmission Line

We present the results of numerical simulation of the complex dynamics of a nonlinear radio-technical line having reflections at the boundaries and excited by an external harmonic signal. It is shown that, with increase in the amplitude of the input signal, periodic oscillations at the external-forcing frequency become unstable and are changed to more complex regimes, either quasiperiodic or chaotic. The main scenarios of transition to chaos are studied. The influence of the modulation instability and soliton formation on the complex dynamics is discussed.     

Further Theoretical Investigations for Laser Relative Intensity Noise with Fiber Nonlinearities and Higher-Order Dispersion

In this article, we theoretically investigate relative intensity noise (RIN) in optical communication systems with fiber nonlinearities due to optical Kerr effects and higher-order dispersion. The impact of modulation frequencies, launch power, and laser bias current on RIN has been illustrated. We show that RIN increases with modulating frequencies up to the resonance frequency, launch power, and decrease in the laser bias current. We also show that higher-order dispersion terms have no impact on the RIN, but with first-order dispersion compensation the higher-order dispersion terms have significant impact at high modulating frequencies. The RIN with and without fiber nonlinearities is further investigated. It has been shown that the RIN with fiber nonlinearity is more than the RIN without nonlinearity and the effect of nonlinearity appears at higher modulation frequencies only.     

Further Theoretical Investigations for Laser Relative Intensity Noise with Fiber Nonlinearities and Higher Order Dispersion

In this article, we theoretically investigate relative intensity noise (RIN) in optical communication systems with fiber nonlinearities due to optical Kerr effects and higher order dispersion. The impact of modulation frequencies, launch power, and laser bias current on RIN has been illustrated. We show that RIN increases with modulating frequencies up to the resonance frequency and launch power, and decreases in the laser bias current. We also show that higher order dispersion terms have no impact on the RIN, but with first order dispersion compensation the higher order dispersion terms have significant impact at high modulating frequencies. The RIN with and without fiber nonlinearities is further investigated. It has been shown that the RIN with fiber nonlinearity is more than the RIN without nonlinearity and the effect of nonlinearity appears at higher modulation frequencies only.     

Further Theoretical Investigations for Laser Relative Intensity Noise with Fiber Nonlinearities and Higher Order Dispersion

In this article, we theoretically investigate relative intensity noise (RIN) in optical communication systems with fiber nonlinearities due to optical Kerr effects and higher order dispersion. The impact of modulation frequencies, launch power, and laser bias current on RIN has been illustrated. We show that RIN increases with modulating frequencies up to the resonance frequency and launch power, and decreases in the laser bias current. We also show that higher order dispersion terms have no impact on the RIN, but with first order dispersion compensation the higher order dispersion terms have significant impact at high modulating frequencies. The RIN with and without fiber nonlinearities is further investigated. It has been shown that the RIN with fiber nonlinearity is more than the RIN without nonlinearity and the effect of nonlinearity appears at higher modulation frequencies only.     

信号调制下色噪声间关联的周期调制对单模激光随机共振的影响

在色噪声间的关联程度受时间周期调制的激光系统中,研究噪声受信号调制情况下的随机共振.用线性化近似的方法计算了光强关联函数及信噪比.具体讨论信噪比随噪声强度、噪声自关联时间、信号频率以及时间周期调制频率的变化关系.发现一种新的随机共振：信噪比随时间周期调制频率的变化出现周期振荡型随机共振;发现广义随机共振：信噪比随抽运噪声自关联时间的变化、随信号频率的变化出现随机共振;同时也存在典型的信噪比随噪声强度的变化而出现的随机共振.而信噪比随量子噪声自关联时间的变化表现为抑制. 关键词： 信号调制 时间周期调制 噪声间关联程度 周期振荡型随机共振     

Excess noise in intracavity laser frequency modulation

The response to perturbations and to stochastic noise of a laser below threshold subjected to an intracavity periodic frequency modulation is theoretically studied. It is shown that, when the modulation frequency is close to the cavity axial mode separation but yet detuned from exact resonance, the laser exhibits a strongly enhanced sensitivity to external noise, which includes large transient energy amplification of perturbations in the deterministic case and enhancement of field fluctuations in presence of a continuous stochastic noise. This large excess noise is due to the nonorthogonality of Floquet laser modes which makes it possible continuous energy transfer from the forcing noise to transient growing perturbations.     

Simulation-based comparison of noise effects in wavelength modulation spectroscopy and direct absorption TDLAS

A simulative investigation of noise effects in wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) and direct absorption diode laser absorption spectroscopy is presented. Special attention is paid to the impact of quantization noise of the analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) of the photodetector signal in the two detection schemes with the goal of estimating the necessary ADC resolution for each technique. With laser relative intensity noise (RIN), photodetector shot noise and thermal amplifier noise included, the strategies used for noise reduction in direct and wavelength modulation spectroscopy are compared by simulating two respective systems. Results show that because of the combined effects of dithering by RIN and signal averaging, the resolutions required for the direct absorption setup are only slightly higher than for the WMS setup. Only for small contributions of RIN an increase in resolution will significantly improve signal quality in the direct scheme.     

Observation of antiphase dynamics and harmonic resonance in a modulated dual-wavelength laser

We observe a nonlinear response of a dual-wavelength Nd:YAG laser when subjected to low-frequency periodic modulations of cavity losses. The modulation frequency is far from the relaxation oscillation frequency. The harmonic resonances of the two laser wavelengths associated with antiphase intensity oscillations are demonstrated and resonances up to the fourth order were observed. For relatively weak modulation, the intensity oscillation frequency of the laser is equal to the modulation frequency. Harmonic resonances occur under a stronger modulation. We find that more harmonic components appear when the modulation frequency is increased. Furthermore, with enhancing the modulation, the dominant frequency of the intensity oscillations of both wavelengths is shifted toward the higher-order harmonic frequency.     

Theory of stability and bifurcation in a multi-quantum well laser with opto-electronic delayed feedback

This paper presents an opto-electronic feedback multi-quantum well laser system and outlines our study of the dynamics and bifurcation in a multi-quantum well laser due to the opto-electronic delayed feedback effect. We point out theoretically the conditions of stability and Hopf bifurcation of the laser. The relaxation oscillation frequency of the system is educed to be the function of the feedback level, delayed time and in-current. The route from stability to bifurcation is numerically simulated via varying the delayed time, feedback strength and in-current. The results show that the induced dynamics can be grouped into four distinct types or modes (stable, periodic pulsed, undamped oscillating or beating, and chaos), where the frequency and intensity varying with the delayed time in the two periodic regions are analyzed detailedly to find that the pulsing frequency is reduced with the long delayed time while the pulsing intensity is added with the long delayed time. And the chaotic pulsing frequency is increased with the large in-current. In addition, the carrier transport between the barrier region and the active region can characterize the dynamics in the laser to produce stable, periodic pulsed, beating and chaotic states by altering the carriers transport or escape rate value.     

Suppressing nonlinear dynamics induced by external optical feedback in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

A numerical study of using external optical injection to suppress the nonlinear dynamics introduced by external optical feedback in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) has been undertaken. The model under consideration is a master–slave configuration where the master VCSEL provides the continuous wave to control the nonlinear behaviors arising in the slave VCSEL. Simulation results indicate that the feedback-induced nonlinear dynamics (e.g. chaotic, single-periodic, and multi-periodic oscillations), relative intensity noise (RIN) as well as the coherence collapse can be suppressed effectively as long as the injection is strong enough to overcome the nonlinear effects of the feedback.     

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.