Influence of pseudorandom bit format on the direct modulation performance of semiconductor lasers

This paper investigates the direct gigabit modulation characteristics of semiconductor lasers using the return to zero (RZ) and non-return to zero (NRZ) formats. The modulation characteristics include the frequency chirp, eye diagram, and turn-on jitter (TOJ). The differences in the relative contributions of the intrinsic noise of the laser and the pseudorandom bit-pattern effect to the modulation characteristics are presented. We introduce an approximate estimation to the transient properties that control the digital modulation performance, namely, the modulation bit rate and the minimum (setting) bit rate required to yield a modulated laser signal free from the bit pattern effect. The results showed that the frequency chirp increases with the increase of the modulation current under both RZ and NRZ formats, and decreases remarkably with the increase of the bias current. The chirp is higher under the RZ modulation format than under the NRZ format. When the modulation bit rate is higher than the setting bit rate of the relaxation oscillation, the laser exhibits enhanced TOJ and the eye diagram is partially closed. TOJ decreases with the increase of the bias and/or modulation current for both formats of modulation.     

Longitudinal mode competition in semiconductor lasers under optical feedback: Regime of short-external cavity

This paper introduces a theoretical study of longitudinal mode competition in semiconductor lasers subject to optical feedback. The study is based on a model of time-delay multimode rate equations taking into account both symmetric and asymmetric suppressions of modal gain. The model is numerically solved and applied to the case of a short-external cavity. Mode competition is characterized along the feedback-induced period-doubling route to chaos as well as under chaotic dynamics. Contributions of symmetric and asymmetric gain suppressions to both mode dynamics and modal operation under OFB are clarified. The results show that under chaotic dynamics, mode competition induces multimode hopping giving rise to asymmetric multimode output spectra. In regimes of continuous-wave operation, mode competition supports single-mode oscillation, and the side-mode suppression ratio improves with the increase of feedback. In the regime of strong feedback, the lasing mode moves to either long- or short-wavelength side in a seemingly random fashion, which is strongly related to asymmetric gain suppression.     

Experimental demonstration of suppression of low-frequency fluctuations and stabilization of an external-cavity laser diode

We demonstrate experimentally all-optical stabilization of a single-mode laser diode subject to external optical feedback operating in the low-frequency fluctuations (LFF) regime, by the technique of applying a second delayed optical feedback. We interpret our results as suppression of LFF through destruction of the antimodes responsible for the LFF crises and stabilization of the laser through creation of new maximum gain modes, in agreement with recent theoretical predictions.     

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.     

Tunable single-mode Fabry-Perot laser diode using a built-in external cavity and its modulation characteristics

A tunable single-mode laser is obtained by using a weakly coupled cavity structure involved in a coaxially packaged Fabry-Perot laser diode. The cleaved end facet of the coupling fiber becomes an optical reflector and forms an external cavity with a laser facet. The single-mode oscillation condition is controlled and stabilized by tuning the operating temperature. The tuning range is about 10 nm with the side-mode suppression ratio of more than 27 dB when the temperature changes from 11.5 degrees C to 25 degrees C. Direct modulation characteristics were investigated, and our results show that a shorter external cavity can bear deeper modulation depth.     

All-optical chaotic MQW laser repeater for long-haul chaotic communications

We present an all-optical chaotic multi-quantum-well (MQW) laser repeater system to be used in long-haul chaotic communications. Chaotic synchronization is achieved among transmitter, repeater, and receiver. Chaotic repeater communications with a sinusoidal signal of 0.2-GHz modulation frequency and a digital signal of 0.4-Gb/s bit rate are numerically simulated, respectively. Calculation results illustrate that the signals are well decoded by the chaotic repeaters. Its bandwidth and the characteristics at much high bit rate are also analyzed. Simulation shows that the repeater can improve decoding quality, especially in higher bit rate chaotic communications.     

Theoretical and experimental studies of combined self-phase modulation and stimulated Raman-scattering in single-mode fibres

A theoretical model of pulse propagation through single-mode fibres is presented taking into account the combined action of self-phase modulation, stimulated Raman-scattering and the group velocity mismatch between pump and Stokes pulses. Due to the walk-off of Stokes and laser light an asymmetric pump pulse depletion resulting in considerable reshaping of laser pulses and an asymmetric self-phase modulation spectrum can be calculated and experimentally verified. A maximum laser power is found to be transferable through the fibre.     

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.     

抽运调制条件下超窄线宽掺铒光纤环形激光器的跳模特性研究

搭建了基于光纤迈克耳孙干涉仪的跳模检测系统,对抽运调制条件下的超窄线宽掺铒光纤环形激光器的跳模特性进行了实验研究,测量了由抽运电流标定的表征跳模规律的跳模数据图。结果表明,随着抽运电流的不断增加,激光器先后经历模式稳定区、模式非稳区以及多纵模区三种状态;存在第二抽运阈值,当抽运强度超过这一阈值时激光器由单纵模跳变为非稳定的多纵模。掺铒光纤环形激光器的谐振腔因抽运热效应或外界扰动而变化时,会引发频率漂移与连续跳模现象。     

Employing mutually injection-locked FP LDs scheme over full-duplex radio-on-fiber transport systems

A full-duplex radio-on-fiber (ROF) transport system based on mutually injection-locked Fabry-Perot laser diodes (FP LDs) as light source is proposed and demonstrated. Transmission performances over a 40-km standard single-mode fiber (SMF) for full-duplex transmission were investigated. Good performance of bit error rate (BER) was achieved in our proposed systems. We directly modulate the FP LDs in mutually injection-locked scheme instead of using expensive external modulator and sophisticated optical carrier suppression technique; it reveals an outstanding alternative with advantages in simplicity and cost.     

Monolithically integrated chirp-managed laser based on a resonant tunneling filter

We have proposed a monolithically integrated chirp-managed laser (CML) that consists of a directly modulated single-mode DFB laser and an optical spectrum reshaper (OSR) filter based on a double-slanted-trench resonant tunneling structure (DST-RTS). Slanted trenches facilitates the occurrence of resonant tunneling effect, which produces a steep-edge narrow-band OSR filter, and meanwhile directing most of the reflected waves out of the laser cavity, consequently eliminating the need of an isolator. Characteristics of the DST-RTS filter have been investigated and simulation results show that the proposed 25 Gbps 1.55 μm CML can send signal over 22 km standard single-mode fiber for bit error rate of 10^?12.     

Tuning of fiber lasers by use of a single-mode biconic fiber taper

We report a novel scheme to build a compact, tunable fiber laser. The tuning mechanism is based on the transmission property of a single-mode biconic fiber taper. While pulling the taper, we observe oscillations in the transmitted optical power that are due primarily to interference between a pair of excited modes within the tapered region, which are eventually coupled into the unstretched single-mode fiber at the end of the taper. A similar mechanism causes the modulation of the transmitted optical spectrum after the taper has been pulled and stabilized. It is this spectral modulation by the taper that is exploited here to control the wavelength of a fiber laser. The modulation can be adjusted by stretching the taper, thus enabling the tuning of the laser wavelength. We have built a 32 mW Er-doped tunable ring fiber laser with a continuous tuning range of over 20 nm and a signal-to-noise ratio of better than 45 dB over the entire tuning range; our output power is limited only by the available pump power.     

基于掩埋光栅一级分布反馈结构的太赫兹量子级联激光器

结合理论和实验研究了掩埋光栅一级分布反馈太赫兹量子级联激光器中的模式竞争和功率特性。理论计算得到掩埋光栅腐蚀深度与两个带边模式的波导损耗、光学限制因子、辐射损耗以及辐射效率的关系。理论计算表明,掩埋光栅分布反馈结构可以通过改变腐蚀深度,保证激光器稳定单模工作在高频带边模式的同时,调节激光器的阈值增益以及辐射效率。实验和测试结果表明,激光器辐射波长和掩埋光栅的周期成正比,激光器可以在整个动力学范围内稳定单模工作。单模激光器的波长范围可覆盖86.2~91.7μm的范围,边模抑制比可达25 dB,最大输出功率为9.1 mW。该工作有助于高性能单模太赫兹激光器及锁相耦合激光器阵列的研制。     

Dynamic single-mode and modulation characteristics analyses for λ/4 phase-shifted distributed feedback lasers with chirped grating

The dynamic single-mode and modulation performance of λ/4 phase-shifted distributed feedback laser diode with chirped grating (QWS-CG-DFB) are analyzed theoretically. The numerical simulation shows that, in contrast to purely QWS-DFB laser, the enhanced dynamic single-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) can be reached by QWS-CG-DFB laser. Under the smaller biasing current, the modulation band-width in presence of chirped grating is narrower, this difference shrinks for larger biasing current. For large signal modulation, the chirped grating is helpful to increase the output extinction ratio, but worsens the frequency chirping. The good dynamic characteristic can be obtained by selecting system parameters reasonably.     

Experimental study of stability properties of injection-locked InGaAsP/InP laser diodes

Single-mode operation of the laser is a basic condition in an optical wide-band transmission link. Lasers stabilized by injection locking showed excellent side-mode suppression. Slight detunings within the locking range between the master laser and slave laser caused by modulation, bias current variations or optical feedback led to unstable behaviour and disturbed the BER of a 1.12 Gbits^–1 transmission experiment via a 21-km single-mode fibre.     

外调制激光器输出功率高精度控制技术研究

为了研究高速1550 nm微波光纤链路的高精度外调制特性,针对多量子阱分布反馈激光器的物理模型讨论了输出功率、阈值电流与温度的依赖关系,建立了相应的恒温恒功率控制电路,使激光器输出功率稳定在±0.005 dB以内,调制输出3 dB谱宽为0.5 nm,边模平坦,边模抑制比大于30 dB。另外设计了自动增益控制电路和附加相位调制电路,对外调制阶段的光功率进行控制。实验结果表明,采用1550 nm激光器及上述控制电路构成相应的外调制微波光纤链路系统,可有效地提高光发射模块输出光功率的稳定性,克服了直接调制带来的光谱展宽和消光比不稳定的缺点,实现了微波信号的高线性低失真传输。     

Effect of gain switching frequency on ultrashort pulse generation from laser diodes

In this work, the effects of gain switching frequency on ultrashort pulse generation are investigated using a model based on the multi-mode rate equations. In addition to the commonly used laser diode parameters, the key parameters corresponding to the different laser diode materials and structures are included in the model. Effects of some laser diode parameters, and d.c. and RF drive conditions on the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of gain switched pulses are investigated for the 1–15 GHz gain switching frequency range. Multi-pulse generation and the cut-off frequency of gain switching are also determined for this frequency range. It is found that the FWHM of pulses decrease as the RF current is increased, at a constant frequency. However, the FWHM of pulses either decrease or increase as the d.c. bias is increased, depending especially on the gain compression and gain peak. As the frequency is increased, pulse widths start to decrease or increase depending on the laser diode parameters. The FWHM of pulses for shorter cavity lasers are found to be almost insensitive to the frequency. Among the parameters affecting the multi-pulse generation and cut-off, gain compression, gain constant, and d.c. and RF current amplitudes are found to be the most effective. All calculations are also carried out using single-mode rate equations and results of multi-mode and single-mode solutions are compared. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

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.