A theoretical model of multielectrode DBR lasers

A theoretical model for two- and three-section tunable distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers is presented. The static tuning properties are studied in terms of threshold current, linewidth, oscillation frequency, and output power. Regions of continuous tuning for three-section DBR lasers are presented. Different routes for continuous tuning, when the injection currents to the passive sections are varied, are discussed and the limitations on the continuous tuning range are clarified. By proper control of these currents, a tuning range of approximately 400 GHz is predicted at 1.55 μm wavelength, which is in good agreement with the experimental results published thus far     

Linewidth and alpha-factor of detuned-loaded DBR lasers

The authors report measurements of the α-factor and linewidth of DBR (distributed Bragg reflector) lasers fabricated with weak grating constants. Such devices exhibit detuned-loading effects, and the measured values depend strongly on the tuning current of the Bragg section. α-factor behavior is found to agree with earlier theoretical predictions. Linewidth behavior is shown to be dominated by carrier shot noise in the tuning section. A theoretical analysis of the DBR laser is outlined including detuned loading and carrier shot noise effect     

Measurements of low frequency and high frequency relative intensity noise in DBR lasers

The relative intensity noise in DBR lasers has been measured as a function of the grating current in both the low frequency and high frequency regimes. With increasing grating current, large increases were only observed in the low frequency intensity noise (<700 MHz). The high frequency intensity noise (>2 GHz) was observed to be independent of the grating current.<>     

Influence of mode competition on the fast wavelength switching ofthree-section DBR lasers

For a three-section distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser, the dependence of the intermodal wavelength-switching time on the precise wavelengths within two longitudinal modes is examined experimentally and theoretically. When switching from a fixed wavelength in the central region of the tuning curve for one mode to a second wavelength on the tuning curve for another mode, a significant variation of the switching delay occurs as the second wavelength spans the mode tuning curve. Mode competition is identified as being responsible for this variation     

Wide continuous wavelength tuning of a narrow linewidth DBR laser

A continuous wavelength tuning range of 5.4 nm is obtained for a three-section DBR (distributed Bragg reflector) laser by applying one control current in both forward and reverse bias directions. In the reverse direction no significant linewidth broadening is seen due to the absence of injection-recombination shot noise, and a linewidth of less than 3 MHz is obtained over a wavelength span of 1.8 nm. The minimum linewidth observed is 580 kHZ     

Modeling of optical low coherence reflectometry recorded Braggreflectograms: evidence to a decisive role of Bragg spectral selectivity

This paper draws attention to the basic principles governing reflections in uniform Bragg reflectors (BR) when measured employing optical low coherence reflectometry (OLCR) technique. Using computations based on transfer matrix method (TMM), we first showed a strong spectral dependence of Bragg reflectograms on an OLCR probe spectrum. Later, this dependence is exploited to evaluate, for the first time, the coupling coefficient κ of a Bragg grating in a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser on InP     

A Michelson interferometer with balanced detection for thecharacterization of modulation and noise properties of semiconductorlasers

A Michelson interferometer with balanced detection, built to study semiconductor lasers, is analyzed. The quantum noise due to vacuum fluctuations, coupling losses, detector quantum efficiency, and spatial mode mismatches are included in the analysis. The limits for frequency noise detection and the sensitivity of the interferometer are examined. It is observed that under ordinary measurement conditions the frequency noise can only be measured up to slightly above the cavity bandwidth of the laser. Comprehensive measurement procedures are proposed, and experimental results showing the frequency modulation response, measured from 10 kHz to 8 GHz, of a three-section distributed feedback (DFB) laser and the frequency noise spectra, measured from 30 MHz to 8 GHz, of a two-section distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser are presented. These results reveal new cavity detuning effects in the noise characteristics of tunable DBR lasers     

Dual-wavelength InGaAs-GaAs ridge waveguide distributed Bragg reflector lasers with tunable mode separation

The design and operation of integrated dual-wavelength sources are reported. These InGaAs-GaAs ridge waveguide (RW) distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers consist of a common gain section and two, separate DBR sections. Multiple current injection is not necessary for these lasers to operate in dual-wavelength. Dual-wavelength operation is easily achieved by simply biasing the gain section. A relatively low coupling coefficient /spl kappa/ in the front grating reduces the added cavity loss for the back grating mode. Therefore, the back grating mode reaches threshold easily. Also, the addition of a spacing section lowers the current induced thermal interaction between the two uniform grating sections, significantly reducing the inadvertent wavelength drift. As a result, biasing the front DBR section results in tunable mode pair separations (/spl Delta//spl lambda/) as small as 0.3 nm and as large as 6.9 nm.     

A theoretical analysis of linewidth broadening in frequency tunableDBR lasers

Linewidth broadening in frequency tunable distributed-Bragg-reflector (DBR) lasers with tuning sections is analyzed. The analysis is based on a simplified two-section single-mode cavity model and quantum mechanical Langevin treatment. The origin of linewidth broadening is shown to be low frequency excess FM noise caused by carrier fluctuation in the tuning section. A scaling law, which permits optimal device parameter design, is then derived. When a decrease in the carrier lifetime is combined with an increase in the tuning current, linewidth broadening can be suppressed without frequency tuning range reduction     

Fast wavelength switching of three-section DBR lasers

For optical crossconnect and packet switched applications based on fast wavelength switching of distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers, the wavelength switching delay is an important device characteristic. A large-signal model for a three-section DBR laser is described which permits evaluation of the intramodal and intermodal wavelength switching delay. The steady-state mode spectrum and loss obtained from a transmission line model of the laser are used in modified multimode rate equations to explicitly include the device structure and operating conditions in the dynamic model. Mode competition is shown to cause the intermodal wavelength switching delay to increase significantly as the destination wavelength approaches the edge of a mode tuning curve. The same behaviour is observed experimentally     

RIN in multisection MQW-DBR lasers

The relative intensity noise (RIN) of both a two-section and a three-section tunable multiple-quantum-well distributed-Bragg-reflector (MQW-DBR) laser operating at 1.53 μm is discussed. It is found that the RIN can be modeled using a single-mode rate equation, which neglects the frequency dependence of the Bragg reflector, and that the RIN is independent of tuning current for fixed output power     

A DBR laser employing passive-section heaters, with 10.8 nm tuningrange and 1.6 MHz linewidth

A wavelength-tunable, three-section, distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) InGaAsP/InP laser diode is described. The refractive indices of the DBR section and the phase-control section are thermally controlled by thin-film heaters embedded on these passive sections. This structure enables wide-range wavelength tuning without the spectral linewidth broadening accompanying conventional tuning by current injection into the passive sections. A tuning range of 10.8 nm and a linewidth of less than 1.6 MHz have been achieved in the 1.5-μm wavelength region. The temperature increase in the active layer is held to within a few degrees, even when the DBR-section temperature reaches 90°C     

Single and tunable dual-wavelength operation of an InGaAs-GaAsridge waveguide distributed Bragg reflector laser

The design and operation of an InGaAs-GaAs asymmetric cladding ridge waveguide (RW) distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser that can be operated in both a single-wavelength mode and a stable, dual-wavelength mode with tunable mode pair separation are reported. The asymmetric cladding RW-DBR laser consists of a conventional DBR laser with an additional, separate tuning contact pad over a part of the grating. The laser operates on a single-wavelength with no current applied to the tuning DBR pad, and dual-wavelength operation is achieved when current is applied to the tuning DBR pad. Tunable mode pair separations as small as ~13 nm and as large as ~17 nm can be achieved in various tuning conditions     

Drive current noise induced linewidth in tunable multielectrode lasers

It is shown that drive current noise could lead to an important increase of linewidth and a Gaussian line shape of tunable multielectrode distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers. As an example, the drive current noise induced linewidth (DCNIL) has been measured to be about 120 MHz using a standard DC source through at 50 Omega resistor to drive the Bragg section of a tested DBR laser. For tunable lasers with an electronic tuning efficiency of more than 1 GHz/mA ultralow noise current sources should be used to ensure a negligible DCNIL.<>     

Widely tunable 850-nm metal-filled asymmetric cladding distributed Bragg reflector lasers

Broadly tunable distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers utilizing metal-filled surface-etched diffraction gratings were fabricated on a GaAs-unstrained quantum well with AlGaAs core and cladding layers. Devices with 200- and 400-/spl mu/m gratings sections were fabricated. Single-mode devices are fabricated over a broad spectral range, exhibiting over 55 mW of single-facet output power. The optical properties of this structure are analyzed in terms of effective index step between the peak and valley of the grating and scattering loss in the DBR. Discrete devices were fabricated with lasing wavelengths between 846.6 and 862.9 nm at intervals of 1.44nm, representing a range of 16.3 nm. Wavelength tuning by current injection into the DBR section is explored, and a broad tuning range of over 18 nm is measured while single-mode performance is maintained. The spectral linewidth of these devices is measured. The temperature dependence of light versus current, threshold current values, and spectral characteristics are also examined.     

Measurements on competition between carrier-induced and thermally-induced wavelength tuning in ridge waveguide DBR lasers

The tuning characteristics of ridge waveguide DBR lasers have been measured under CW and pulsed grating currents. Under CW grating current injection, a maximum tuning range of 2.5 nm was measured. This tuning range was extended to almost 7 nm under pulsed conditions. The increase in the tuning range is explained by the absence of thermal tuning mechanisms for pulsed grating currents and the dominance of thermal tuning in the ridge waveguide structure at large CW grating currents is explicitly shown.<>     

Frequency stabilization of tunable DBR laser using multiwavelengthlight injection locking technique

This paper proposes a frequency stabilization scheme for tunable three-section DBR laser diodes (3S-DBR LD) that use multiwavelength light injection locking. The oscillating wavelength of the SS-DBR LD is discretely switched between cavity modes when the injection current into DBR section is changed, and locked to one wavelength of the multiwavelength light injected from the DBR section facet under the injection locking condition. The light injection properties of the capture range and the relationships of relaxation oscillation versus input power and detuning are investigated experimentally. Injection locking on the multistate wavelength of a tunable DBR LD is performed using a two wavelength multiplexed light. As a result, we demonstrate 1 GHz capture range and more than 26 dB rejection ratio for the multiplexed injected light     

DBR单纵模光纤激光器波长温度调谐

报道了采用DBR方式,利用8 mm的高浓度掺Yb3+单模光纤,实现了波长为1 064 nm的单纵模调谐激光稳定输出的实验结果。该DBR谐振腔有效腔长为16 mm,输出最大功率为7.4 mW,通过半导体制冷器温控改变谐振腔的温度,实现了0.824 nm的单纵模无跳模调谐。采用光纤外差法,并利用低损耗环形器和光纤反射镜倍增延迟线长度提升测量精度的方式,测量得到激光最大线宽为4.4 kHz。单纵模激光的弛豫震荡峰位于900 kHz处,其相对强度噪声为-110 dB/Hz,当频率大于1.5 MHz时相对强度噪声为-145 dB/Hz。     

Broad-range wavelength tuning in DBR lasers with super structuregrating (SSG)

Broad-range wavelength tuning is demonstrated in tunable distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers with the super structure grating (SSG) proposed. The SSG is fabricated by electron beam exposure lithography. The grating performance is measured by transmittance characteristics of the SSG reflector. A maximum tuning range of 63 nm is obtained under the CW condition while keeping a single longitudinal mode. In a 50-nm tuning range, the threshold current variation is as low as 5.0-9.5 mA     

DBR active optical filters: transfer function and noisecharacteristics

A theoretical model of distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) active filters is presented and verified experimentally through measurements of the transfer function and the noise spectra. The theory allows simple yet accurate evaluation of the transmission transfer function and of the noise properties of this class of filters. A conventional DBR laser device used as a filter is shown, experimentally and theoretically, to have two drawbacks: a multilobe transfer function and small gain (less than 10 dB facet-to-facet). It is shown how both problems can be overcome via reduction of two key device parameters: the grating coupling coefficient and the physical length of the active and/or phase control sections. This technique can lead to devices with attractive properties, having a gain of 35 dB, sidelobe suppression of 32 dB, and bandwidth as narrow as 1 GHz