Group delay and α-parameter measurement of 1.3 μmsemiconductor traveling-wave optical amplifier using the interferometricmethod

The group delay dispersion and the linewidth broadening factor (α-parameter) are measured for a 1.3-μm semiconductor traveling-wave optical amplifier (TWA) using a newly developed interferometric method. By Fourier transforming an interferometric cross-correlation signal, both the optical phase and the gain are simultaneously obtained in the entire gain bandwidth. The group delay spectrum is evaluated from the frequency derivative of the phase, and by selecting an appropriate interval for the interferometer scan, a refractive index dispersion of ~ 3.2 fs/nm is separated from the dispersion caused by Fabry-Perot resonance. From the phase and gain change with injection current, the α-parameter spectrum is evaluated, and the results indicate a strong dependence on wavelength     

Theory and experiment on the amplified spontaneous emission fromdistributed-feedback lasers

The amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) of a strained quantum-well distributed feedback (DFB) laser biased below laser threshold is used to extract the gain and refractive index spectra in a systematic manner. A modified Hakki-Paoli method is used to obtain the gain and differential gain spectra. The refractive index change due to carrier injection is obtained from the shift of the Fabry-Perot peaks in the ASE spectrum. The measured ASE spectrum, gain, refractive index change, and linewidth enhancement factor are then compared with our theoretical model for strained quantum-well lasers. Our model takes into account the realistic band structure and uses the material and quantum-well dimensions directly in the calculation of the electronic and optical properties. The theory agrees very well with the experiment     

Theoretical and experimental study of optical gain, refractive index change, and linewidth enhancement factor of p-doped quantum-dot lasers

A theoretical and experimental study of the optical gain, refractive index change, and linewidth enhancement factor (LEF) of a p-doped quantum-dot (QD) laser is reported. These parameters are measured by injecting an external pump, which induces cross-gain and cross-phase modulation. A comprehensive theoretical model for the optical gain and refractive index change of InAs QD lasers is introduced with the quasi-equilibrium approximation of carrier distribution. We use the Gaussian lineshape function for gain change and the confluent hypergeometric function of the first kind for refractive index change, which satisfies the Kramers-Kronig relation. We match the experimental data with the theoretical results when the thermal effect is isolated by an additional pulsed current measurement. We also calculate theoretically the optical gain, refractive index change, and LEF of an undoped QD laser of the same structure except the absence of p-type doping. We show that the differential gain and LEF of the p-doped QD laser are improved compared with those of the undoped QD laser due to the reduced transparency carrier density.     

Theoretical and experimental study of optical gain and linewidth enhancement factor of type-I quantum-cascade lasers

A theoretical and experimental study of the optical gain and the linewidth enhancement factor (LEF) of a type-I quantum-cascade (QC) laser is reported. QC lasers have a symmetrical gain spectrum because the optical transition occurs between conduction subbands. According to the Kramers-Kronig relation, a zero LEF is predicted at the gain peak, but there has been no experimental observation of a zero LEF. There are other mechanisms that affect the LEF such as device self-heating, and the refractive index change due to other transition states not involved in lasing action. In this paper, the effects of these mechanisms on the LEF of a type-I QC laser are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The optical gain spectrum and the LEF are measured using the Hakki-Paoli method. Device self-heating on the wavelength shift in the Fabry-Perot modes is isolated by measuring the shift of the lasing wavelength above the threshold current. The band structure of a QC laser is calculated by solving the Schro/spl uml/dinger-Poisson equation self-consistently. We use the Gaussian lineshape function for gain change and the confluent hypergeometric function of the first kind for refractive index change, which satisfies the Kramers-Kronig relation. The refractive index change caused by various transition states is calculated by the theoretical model of a type-I QC laser. The calculated LEF shows good agreement with the experimental measurement.     

掺钕光纤放大器非线性折射率的分析

利用描述光纤放大器非线性折射率的公式．通过数值模拟的方法模拟了输入信号功率、抽运功率、信号波长以及增益效应和克尔效应等变量对掺钕光纤放大器非线性折射率的影响，结果表明无论是增加抽运光功率或信号光功率，当信号光的波长小于1064nm时．掺钕光纤放大器的非线性折射率的数值在此波段附近所对应的值为正值，大于此值所对应的值为负值；抽运功率较小时增益效应对非线性折射率的影响较大，而抽运功率较大时克尔效应对非线性折射率的影响较大，这主要是增益饱和所导致的结果；当信号光频率一定时，随抽运功率的增加非线性折射率逐渐增加并达到饱和。     

Novel technique for the systematic measurement of gain, absoluterefractive index spectra, and other parameters of semiconductor lasers

To characterize semiconductor lasers, it is often required to measure parameters such as the quasi Fermi-level separation, intrinsic optical loss, the position of the gain peak, and gain and absolute refractive index spectra. For these measurements, there are many different techniques available, but they neglect to take into account the dispersion of refractive index and cannot be used to extract the absolute refractive index spectrum. A novel technique is proposed to systematically and accurately measure all these parameters of semiconductor lasers. Compared with techniques often used, which will be briefly reviewed in the paper, this novel technique has the following advantages: (1) the determination process uses only the measured spontaneous emission spectra, without the requirement for knowledge of such parameters as intrinsic optical loss, facet reflectivity, and waveguide confinement factor, which presently are difficult to check experimentally; (2) results are obtained for each given current (for example, this technique measures intrinsic optical loss for each given current, rather than the average one over the whole current range); (3) the dispersion of refractive index is taken into account; (4) both the absolute refractive index spectrum for a given current and its change with current can be accurately measured; (5) the gain spectra and refractive index can be measured as wide as one wants; (6) the measurement accuracy is improved; and (7) no adjustable parameter or recalibration is needed     

横流放电CO_2激光器气体热效应对光轴与横模的影响

本文讨论了横流放电CO_2激光器气体发热引起的折射率变化对光轴和横模的影响。计算表明,折射率变化的一阶小量会引起激光振荡轴位置和角度变化;折射率变化的二阶小量类似于轴对称放电管中的负透镜效应。这两种效应随着注入电功率、工作气压尤其是增益长度的增加而显著增大。     

镀膜级联长周期光纤光栅折射率传感研究

镀膜的级联长周期光纤光栅（Cascaded Long-Period Fiber Gratings, CLPFGs）对膜层的折射率及环境折射率有很高的敏感性, 可用作气体传感器或溶液浓度传感器。本文采用耦合模理论与传输矩阵法, 数值计算了不同薄膜厚度下镀膜CLPFGs干涉峰波长的相对变化率与薄膜折射率的相对变化率的比值, 及不同薄膜厚度下镀膜CLPFGs干涉峰波长的相对变化率与环境折射率的相对变化率的比值。选择恰当的镀膜厚度, 使镀膜CLPFGs传感器的灵敏度最优化, 结果表明镀膜CLPFGs传感器对薄膜折射率及环境折射率的分辨率可达10-5。     

Minimal group refractive index dispersion and gain evolution in ultra-broad-band quantum cascade lasers

The group refractive index dispersion in ultra-broad-band quantum cascade (QC) lasers has been determined using Fabry-Perot spectra obtained by operating the lasers in continuous wave mode below threshold. In the wavelength range of 5-8 /spl mu/m, the global change of the group refractive index is as small as +8.2 /spl times/ 10/sup -3/ /spl mu/m/sup -1/. Using the method of Hakki and Paoli (1975), the subthreshold gain of the lasers has furthermore been measured as a function of wavelength and current. At the wavelength of best performance, 7.4 /spl mu/m, a modal gain coefficient of 16 cm/spl middot/kA/sup -1/ at threshold and a waveguide loss of 18 cm/sup -1/ have been estimated. The gain evolution confirms an earlier assumption that cross-absorption restricted laser action to above 6 /spl mu/m wavelength.     

Signal-induced refractive index changes in erbium-doped fiberamplifiers

This paper reports the measurement and analysis of signal power-induced changes in the refractive index spectrum of an aluminosilicate erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). For a constant 980 nm pump power of 11 mW, a 1553 nm signal power of 4.6 mW caused a peak-to-trough change in refractive index of (3.8±0.4)×10 ^-8 across the EDFA gain spectrum. A Kramers-Kronig transform of the signal-induced change in absorption coefficient agreed well with the measured change in refractive index. This result conflicts with the behavior of the system predicted by a homogeneously broadened two-level model and suggests limitations in the representation of the Er³⁺ :glass system by a discrete set of homogeneously broadened transitions     

Optical gain and refractive index of a laser amplifier in the presence of pump light for cross-gain and cross-phase modulation

The wavelength dependent changes in optical gain and refractive index in a Fabry-Perot semiconductor optical amplifier are measured for various detunings of the pump wavelength from the quasi-Fermi level separation. The refractive index change is nearly constant over a very large wavelength range. We also present data for the linewidth enhancement factor due to optical injection. Estimates of the carrier densities and stimulated recombination rates are made using our optical gain model based on realistic band structure calculations for a strained quantum-well laser. Our results are very useful for ultra-broad-band wavelength conversion by cross-gain and cross-phase modulation (XGM, XPM).     

一串强脉冲信号通过TWA时速率方程的简化

对于一串强脉冲信号通过行波半导体激光放大器(TWA)时,应用速率方程推导出一个简化的一阶微分方程,可用来确定输出脉冲信号或TWA的信号增益。同时很容易推导出脉冲信号到达增益介质前,离开TWA后的载流子浓度。     

Analysis of multiple wavelength DFB fiber lasers

The behavior of multiwavelength distributed feedback fiber lasers is simulated in a comprehensive numerical model. Multiple fundamental modes can coexist, even though the coupling coefficients of their respective refractive index gratings are not equal, due to induced dynamic gain gratings. We have investigated the effect on the lasing state of variations in coupling strengths, gain parameters, grating Bragg frequency separation, relative phase between the gratings, length of the structure relative to the beat lengths between the gratings, grating center phase-shift errors, and saturation level of the UV-induced refractive index change     

Propagation characteristics of single-mode optical fibers with arbitrary complex index profiles

A rapidly converging numerical technique for the evaluation mode characteristics of circularly symmetric optical fibers with an arbitrary complex refractive index profile is presented. This method is based on transmission-line principles. From Maxwell's equations, we derive a transmission-line equivalent circuit for the optical fiber refractive index profile and we demonstrate how it can be used to determine the mode effective index (normalized propagation constant) of cylindrical dielectric waveguides. To illustrate the effectiveness of the procedure, we have applied it to circularly symmetric fibers with complex step, parabolic, and segmented optical refractive index profiles. We have used this method to evaluate and manipulate the gain in a typical 980-nm pumped erbium-doped fiber as well as for calculating attenuation of optical fibers when radial loss factors are present.     

增益导引和折射率导引在大模场单模光纤设计中的应用

传统的大模场光纤是通过设计光纤结构来获得大模场面积的,可以实现的模场面积只能达到几百平方微米。增益导引和折射率导引相结合是实现大模场单模光纤的一种新方法。通过分析增益因子对折射率以及归一化频率的影响,得到了光纤中各阶模式截止条件与纤芯包层折射率差和增益因子的关系。最后以包层折射率为1.5734,纤芯折射率为1.5689,纤芯半径为50μm,10%(原子数分数)重掺杂钕离子的磷酸盐光纤作为模拟计算对象,当波长为1.064μm时,得到其模场直径大于90μm。对于普通光纤,增益导引和负折射率导引相结合的方法对实现大模场单模传输很有前景。     

Performance of 1-10-GHz traveling wave amplifiers in 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS

The authors present two four-stage traveling-wave amplifiers (TWA) fabricated in a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS process. A TWA with an internal drain bias network achieved a gain of 5 dB out to 10 GHz, and another TWA without an on-chip bias network achieved a gain of 8 dB out to 10 GHz. These are the highest frequency CMOS TWAs known to the authors.     

半导体激光放大器对超短光脉冲串的动态响应

本文利用速率方程从理论上研究了行波式半导体激光放大器(TWA)对来自主动锁模半导体激光器的皮秒脉冲串的动态响应,计算了脉冲串的动态增益、TWA的载流子的时间空间变化,本文首次使用光脉冲光子数(对应于脉冲能量)表示法研究TWA,动态增益饱和只与脉冲光子数有关,与输入功率无关,此外讨论了一些全光通信系统中与TWA有关的问题。     

Detuning characteristics and conversion efficiency of nearlydegenerate four-wave mixing in a 1.5-μm traveling-wave semiconductorlaser amplifier

The optical nonlinearity in a semiconductor laser gain medium is investigated through copropagating nearly degenerate four-wave mixing (NDFWM) in a 1.5-μm InGaAsP traveling-wave laser amplifier (TWA). The FWM signal output powers vary symmetrically with the sign of probe detuning with respect to the pump frequency, while the pump and probe output powers vary asymmetrically. The NDFWM conversion efficiency from the probe input to the FWM signal output is a maximum of 8.3 dB around zero detuning and has positive gain in the range of ±6 GHz. This demonstrates highly efficient nonlinear interaction due to both large optical gain and large third-order susceptibility. The NDFWM efficiency is also investigated in connection with the TWA gain saturation characteristics and is found to be a maximum for operation around the saturation intensity of the TWA     

Optical gain in a strained-layer quantum-well laser

The optical gain and the refractive index change of a uniaxially stressed GaAs-Al₂Ga_1-xAs quantum-well laser is studied theoretically using the multiband effective mass theory (k -p method) and density matrix formalism with intraband relaxations. It is found that uniaxial strain of the quantum well substantially alters the subband structures and the optical gain of the quantum-well laser. In particular, the gain of the TM mode increases while the gain of the TE mode decreases with increasing stress. Thus, the threshold current either decreases or increases with the stress, depending on whether the laser is operating in a TM or TE mode     

Strong signal analysis of optical nonlinearities insingle-quantum-well and double-heterostructure lasers

Based on the numerical strong signal solution of the density-matrix formalism, the nonlinearities of the gain and the refractive index are discussed for both bulk double-heterostructure (DH) and single-quantum-well (SQW) InGaAs lasers. The results show that for both structures the nonlinear gain is well approximated by the recently proposed analytical expression and the modified two-level system approximation up to a range of photon density discussed herein, and the refractive index could either increase or decrease with the photon density depending on the wavelength detuning from the gain peak. The results of a new analytical expression for nonlinear refractive index is in qualitative agreement with the numerical ones; however, significant quantitative difference occurs between these two model results for high photon density values. Due to the more important nonlinear gain in SQW structures, the linewidth enhancement factor increases more rapidly with increasing photon density in these structures than in DH structures