Absorptive and dispersive bistability in semiconductor injection lasers

Recent progress in the study of both absorptive and dispersive bistability in semiconductor injection lasers is reported. Inhomogeneously excited semiconductor lasers as an absorptive case, and laser diode optical amplifiers and optical injection locking systems of laser diodes as dispersive cases, are described. Applications of bistable semiconductor lasers, such as optical memories, optical regenerative amplifiers and all-optical switching, are also discussed.     

Observation of low-frequency fluctuations in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Low-frequency fluctuations, which are typical irregular oscillations in edge-emitting semiconductor lasers, are experimentally observed for the y-polarization mode (y is the direction along the optical axis of a laser material) in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with optical feedback.     

双光纤光栅外腔半导体激光器相干失效研究

根据双光纤Bragg光栅(FBG)外腔半导体激光器相干失效的物理过程, 运用速率方程和双FBG耦合模理论, 分析了双FBG外腔半导体激光器相干失效产生和控制的条件, 提出了实现和控制双FBG外腔半导体激光器相干失效多模稳定工作的方法. 双FBG外腔半导体激光器在相干失效下具有多模的稳定工作状态, 相干失效长度缩短, 相干失效长度内光谱稳定. 实验测量结果表明, 外腔反射率为3%时, 从非相干失效状态到相干失效状态, 半峰值全宽度从0.5 nm突然展宽到0.9 nm. 在相干失效状态下, 功率稳定, 边模抑制比大于45 dB, 在0℃–70℃工作温度范围内峰值波长漂移小于0.5 nm, 最小相干失效长度小于0.5 m. 双FBG外腔半导体激光器相干失效的应用对提高光纤放大器和光纤激光器的性能具有重要意义. 关键词： 非线性 半导体激光器 双光纤Bragg光栅 相干失效     

分布反馈激光器中剩余法布里-珀罗腔模对非简并四波混频特性的影响

基于四波混频(FWM)的全光波长转换技术是未来多波长通信系统的核心技术之一。除半导体光放大器(SOA)外,半导体激光器也是进行波长变换的器件。实验研究了小频率失谐到大频率失谐下分布反馈(DFB)激光器中剩余法布里珀罗腔模对非简并四波混频(NDFWM)的影响,并对其四波混频转换效率进行了分析。结果表明:当探测光波长与法布里珀罗腔的某一谐振波长一致时,分布反馈激光器中的四波混频转换效率将得到显著的增强;当频率失谐为太赫兹时,仍可得到较高的四波混频转换效率。     

Femtosecond hybrid mode-locked semiconductor laser and amplifier dynamics

We describe the generation of femtosecond high power optical pulses using hybrid passive-active mode-locking techniques. Angle stripe geometry GaAs/AlGaAs semiconductor laser amplifiers are employed in an external cavity including prisms and a stagger-tuned quantum-well saturable absorber. An identical amplifier also serves as an optical power amplifier in a stretched pulse amplification and recompression sequence. After amplification and pulse compression this laser system produces 200 fs, 160 W peak power pulses. We discuss and extend our theory, and supporting phenomenological models, of picosecond and subpicosecond optical pulse amplification in semiconductor laser amplifiers which has been successful in calculating measured spectra and time-resolved dynamics in our amplifiers. We have refined the theory to include a phenomenological model of spectral hole-burning for finite intraband thermalization time. Our calculations are consistent with an intra-band time of approximately 60 fs. This theory of large signal subpicosecond pulse amplification will be an essential tool for understanding the mode-locking dynamics of semiconductor lasers and for analysis of high speed multiple wave-length optical signal processing and transmission devices and systems based on semiconductor laser amplifiers.     

大光腔小垂直发散角InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs半导体激光器

提出并实现了新型隧道再生耦合大光腔半导体激光器，近场光斑宽度达到1μm，较普通半导体激光器提高了一个数量级，有效地解决了普通半导体激光器由于发光面积狭窄而导致的端面灾变性毁坏和垂直发散角大的问题. 采用低压金属有机物化学气相沉积方法生长了以C和Si分别作为掺杂剂的AlGaAs隧道结、GaAs/InGaAs应变量子阱有源区和新型半导体激光器外延结构，并制备出器件，其垂直发散角为20°，阈值电流密度为277A/cm2，斜率效率在未镀膜时达到0.80W/A. 关键词： 半导体激光器 大光腔 隧道再生     

半导体垂直腔面发射激光器的微腔效应

应用腔量子电动力学和半导体物理学讨论了半导体垂直腔面发射激光器的微腔效应,得到了实际腔结构和注入载流子下的半导体生趣腔面发射激光器的自发发射谱,计算结果表明,半导体分布布拉格反射垂直腔激光器的单方向自发发射可以境强约２００倍。     

Simulation of a Single-Mode Tunnel-Junction-Based Long-Wavelength VCSEL

We investigate the physics of an internal device for a high-performance, vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser operating at 1.305 μm. Experimental results are analyzed using as the simulation software a photonic-integrated-circuit simulator in 3D (PICS3D), which is a state-of-the-art 3D simulator for surface- and edge-emitting laser diodes, semiconductor optical amplifiers, and other similar active waveguide devices. The 2D/3D semiconductor equations are coupled to the optical modes in both lateral and longitudinal directions. Optical properties such as the quantum well/wire/dot optical gain and spontaneous emission rates are computed self-consistently. Careful adjustments of material parameters led to an excellent agreement between simulation and measurements. Simulation results show that the maximum output power is limited by electron leakage from quantum wells.     

半导体激光器混沌输出的延时特征和带宽

外腔延时特征和带宽是影响混沌激光应用的两个重要参量.本文将一个单路光反馈的半导体激光器输出的激光部分地注入到另一个双路滤波光反馈的半导体激光器中,从而构成一个具有外光注入的双路滤波光反馈半导体激光器系统,即主从激光器系统,用于抑制混沌激光的延时特征并研究其带宽.数值研究了外光注入系数、反馈强度、抽运因子和滤波器带宽对系统输出混沌激光的延时特征的影响,然后将该系统对延时特征的抑制效果和具有外光注入的单路光反馈半导体激光器系统、具有外光注入的双路光反馈半导体激光器系统、具有外光注入的单路滤波光反馈半导体激光器系统以及无光注入双路滤波光反馈半导体激光器系统进行对比和分析,结果表明本文提出的方案对延时特征的抑制效果最好.然后在本文提出的具有外光注入的双路滤波光反馈半导体激光器系统中,延时特征被有效抑制的参数条件下研究系统输出混沌激光的带宽,结果表明,通过适当选择参数的取值,本文提出的方案可以提高系统输出混沌激光的带宽.     

Spatial decorrelation in broad-area edge-emitting semiconductor amplifiers

We analyze experimentally the spatio-temporal dynamics of the transverse structures appearing in broad area edge-emitting semiconductor amplifiers under CW optical injection. We demonstrate that, in certain conditions, the light reflected by the system exhibits a multipeaked structure whose dependence on the parameters suggests an interpretation in terms of cavity solitons. These structures can exhibit self-pulsations with periods of the order of few milliseconds, which we explain in terms of regenerative thermal oscillations. In a particular device, we generate two single-peak structures which are spatially uncorrelated, as required for cavity solitons. A microscopic model shows good agreement with the main body of the experimental results.     

Passively modelocked surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

This paper will review and discuss pico- and femtosecond pulse generation from passively modelocked vertical–external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers (VECSELs). We shall discuss the physical principles of ultrashort pulse generation in these lasers, considering in turn the role played by the semiconductor quantum well gain structure, and the saturable absorber. The paper will analyze the fundamental performance limits of these devices, and review the results that have been demonstrated to date. Different types of semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) design, and their characteristic dynamics, are described in detail; exploring the ultimate goal of moving to a wafer integration approach, in which the SESAM is integrated into the VECSEL structure with tremendous gain in capability. In particular, the contrast between VECSELs and diode-pumped solid-state lasers and edge-emitting diode lasers will be discussed. Optically pumped VECSELs have led to an improvement by more than two orders of magnitude to date in the average output power achievable from a passively modelocked ultrafast semiconductor laser.     

Low-Frequency Fluctuation and Frequency-Locking in Semiconductor Lasers with Long External Cavity Feedback

The properties of low-frequency fluctuations in semiconductor lasers with optical feedback from a long external cavity are experimentally studied. Frequency-locking of the laser light output to the injection current modulation is observed when the modulation frequency approaches the external cavity mode. The modulation frequency for the successful frequency-locking is always less than the external cavity mode frequency and the locking domains as a function of the modulation amplitude is asymmetric with respect to the frequency detuning.     

Comprehensive modeling of vertical external cavity surface emitting laser with resonant periodic gain

One of the promising laser constructions having much attention in the past years is thin-disc semiconductor lasers with the resonant periodic gain in a form of multiple quantum wells. The 3D numerical model is developed based on combining bi-directional beam propagation method with the round-trip operator technique. The standing wave effect in resonant gain structure and diffraction in the external laser cavity are taken into account explicitly. Characteristics of optical modes are found numerically for cylindrical vertical extended cavity surface emitting laser with above-threshold pumping. Variation of distance to the external mirror is found to result in notable changes in power and optical quality of the output beam. The decisive role of gain and index non-linearities in these changes is identified.     

宽面积垂直腔半导体光放大器

在反射模式下,对于970 nm宽面积垂直腔半导体光放大器(VCSOA)的增益和带宽特性进行了实验研究和分析。当注入电流为57％阈值电流、信号输入功率为0.7 W,取得了24.8 dB的放大,测得的放大器的带宽为0.14 nm。实验中测量的增益值大于理论计算值,这是由于宽面积垂直腔光放大器内存在多个横向模式,每个模式都有相应的放大,所以总的增益大于理论计算的某个模式的增益。这种宽面积垂直腔光放大器不仅可以提高增益,而且还能提高信号光的饱和输入功率。对970 nm宽面积VCSOA的结构进行了优化设计,模拟结果表明,要提高半导体激光器的增益和带宽,可以通过适当降低垂直腔面发射激光器的上DBR的反射率来获得。     

大功率半导体激光器研究进展

对半导体激光器的发展历史和发展现状进行了综述,并具体介绍了长春光学精密机械与物理研究所近年来在大功率半导体激光器方面所取得的主要进展,特别是在大功率半导体激光器的激光光源、垂直腔面发射激光器和新型激光器芯片等方面。     

Design considerations for semiconductor spin lasers

The threshold of semiconductor lasers is drastically reduced by injection of spin polarized electrons if the laser meets specific design rules. Taking into account the challenges of spin injection, spin transport, and spin relaxation, we discuss the threshold reduction in surface- and edge-emitting spin lasers at room temperature.     

铅卤钙钛矿法布里-帕罗谐振腔激光器

随着后摩尔时代的到来,对大容量、高速度信息处理的需求使得半导体器件应用由电子集成转向光子集成,高性能微纳激光器是实现光子集成的重要环节.种类丰富的半导体材料促进了半导体微纳激光器的快速发展,近年来,随着大量新型半导体材料(如二维半导体、铅卤钙钛矿等)的涌现,有望实现半导体微纳激光器性能的进一步提升.由于钙钛矿材料具有高光吸收、缺陷高容忍、激子结合能大等优异光学性质,使其成为高增益、低阈值半导体微纳激光器的优秀候选材料.法布里-珀罗(F-P)谐振腔激光器是钙钛矿激光器中研究广泛、结构简单、应用价值较高的一类激光器.本文以铅卤钙钛矿F-P谐振腔激光器为例,对其工作机理以及近年来的研究成果进行综述,从激子与光子弱耦合的光子激光和强耦合的极化子激光两个方面出发,详细介绍了钙钛矿材料既作为增益介质又作为谐振腔的F-P结构激光器以及仅作为增益介质的F-P腔激光器的激光的产生原理和影响因素,最后总结了钙钛矿F-P谐振腔激光器当前面临的挑战,展望了其进一步发展可能具备的前景.     

Self-mixing interference effect of DFB semiconductor lasers

This paper analyzes the self-mixing interference in DFB (distributed feedback) semiconductor lasers. The general expression of the threshold gain and frequency in the DFB lasers was deduced. Numerical simulations indicate that, for specific coupling coefficient and cavity length value, the DFB lasers are more sensitive to optical feedback than the Fabry–Perot semiconductor laser. These results show that high-accuracy self-mixing sensors can be obtained by using the DFB lasers. PACS 42.55.Px; 42.60.Lh; 42.87.Bg     

Theoretical analyses and experimental studies on semiconductor disk lasers

The comprehensive theoretical analyses and experimental studies on semiconductor disk lasers are presented. The edge-emitting photoluminescence spectrum which reflects the essential emission properties of quantum wells is theoretically modeled, and the result is in good agreement with the experiment. The surface-emitting photoluminescence spectrum which carries the characteristics of the semiconductor microcavity is explained using the numerically simulated longitudinal confinement factor. The output characteristic is modeled by taking into account the thermal effect, and the result is consistent with the experiment. The oscillating mode of the laser is codetermined by the reflectivity of DBR, the edge-emitting, and the surface-emitting PL spectrum.