Mid-infrared type-II interband cascade lasers

Interband cascade (IC) lasers that utilize optical transitions between the conduction and valence bands in a staircase of Sb-based type-II quantum wells (QWs) represent a new class of mid-IR diode lasers. By combining the advantages of quantum cascade lasers and type-II QW interband lasers, type-II IC lasers show promise of operating in continuous-wave (CW) mode up to room temperature with high output powers. Significant advances toward such high performance have been reported in terms of record-high differential external quantum efficiency (DEQE>600%), peak output power (~6 W/facet at 80 K), CW power conversion efficiency (>16% at 80 K), and room-temperature operation under pulsed conditions. Here, we will review the progress made in the past few years and discuss the issues encountered during the development. Also, the current status of type-II IC lasers and the remaining challenges will be discussed     

High temperature, high power InGaAs/GaAs quantum-well lasers withlattice-matched InGaP cladding layers

The authors report the high-temperature and high-power operation of strained-layer InGaAs/GaAs quantum well lasers with lattice-matched InGaP cladding layers grown by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy. Self-aligned ridge waveguide lasers of 3-μm width were fabricated. These lasers have low threshold currents (7 mA for 250-μm-long cavity and 12 mA for 500-μm-long cavity), high external quantum efficiencies (0.9 mW/mA), and high peak powers (160 mW for 3-μm-wide lasers and 285 mW for 5-μm-wide laser) at room temperature under continuous wave (CW) conditions. The CW operating temperature of 185°C is the highest ever reported for InGaAs/GaAs/InGaP quantum well lasers, and is comparable to the best result (200°C) reported for InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs lasers     

激光雷达用高性能光纤激光器

系统研究了窄线宽低噪声单频连续光纤激光器、高能量纳秒长脉冲单频光纤激光器以及高峰值功率纳秒短脉冲光纤激光器三类高性能光纤激光器:实现了工作于1、1.5及2 m波段的单频连续光纤激光器,典型光谱线宽小于3 kHz,强度噪声接近于散粒噪声极限;实现了高能量单频光纤激光器,脉冲能量超过200 J,重复频率20 kHz,脉冲宽度100~500 ns,激光波长位于1.5 m波段;实现了高峰值功率纳秒短脉冲光纤激光器,峰值功率超过700 kW,重复频率10 kHz,脉冲宽度3 ns;同时还实现了高重频高峰值功率纳秒短脉冲光纤激光器,峰值功率超过200 W,重复频率3 MHz,脉冲宽度1~5 ns。文中阐述了以上几类高性能光纤激光器在激光雷达探测系统中的应用前景。     

Selenium doping effects and low-threshold high-power GaInP-AlGaInPsingle-quantum-well lasers grown by MOVPE

Visible light (670 nm), compressively strained single-quantum-well GaInP-AlGaInP lasers were fabricated from epitaxial wafers grown by low-pressure metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (LP-MOVPE). By investigation on selenium doping in n-type cladding layers, high quality GaInP-AlGaInP lasers that emit around a wavelength of 670 nm were realized, which have an ultralow-threshold current density of 238 A/cm ₂, high characteristic temperature of 150 K in the pulse mode. Additionally, a record high power of 1.55 W per facet (3.11 W total) was achieved for the broad-area gain guided lasers     

Cerium-doped fluoride lasers

In the 30 years since tunable ultraviolet (UV) lasers based on 5d /spl rarr/ 4f transition of trivalent lanthanides doped into solid-state hosts were first demonstrated, tremendous progress has been made in these unique laser systems. Today, cerium-doped fluoride lasers offer wide tunability (280-333 nm), high efficiency (up to 62%) and narrow-band output. These lasers can also be used for femtosecond pulse amplification in the UV. Cerium lasers represent a logical route to generation of tunable UV in all-solid-state systems. In this paper, we review the current state-of-the-art cerium laser crystal development and cerium laser systems.     

Effects of Lateral Diffusion on the Temperature Sensitivity of the Threshold Current for 1.3-$mu{hbox {m}}$ Double Quantum-Well GaInNAs–GaAs Lasers

We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of the temperature dependence of the threshold current for double quantum well GaInNAs-GaAs lasers in the temperature range 10 degC-110 degC. Pulsed measurements of the threshold current have been performed on broad and narrow ridge wave guide (RWG) lasers. The narrow RWG lasers exhibit high characteristic temperatures (T₀) of 200 K up to a critical temperature (T_c), above which T₀ is reduced by approximately a factor of 2. The T0-values for broad RWG lasers are significantly lower than those for the narrow RWG lasers, with characteristic temperatures on the order of 100 (60) K below (above) T_c. Numerical simulations, using a model that accounts for lateral diffusion effects, show good agreement with experimental data and reveal that a weakly temperature dependent lateral diffusion current dominates the threshold current for narrow RWG lasers.     

Design of WDM PON With Tunable Lasers: The Upstream Scenario

Tunable lasers are potential upstream optical light generators for wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) passive optical network (PON), which is a promising solution for next-generation broad-band optical access. The wavelength provisioning flexibility of tunable lasers can increase the admissible traffic in the network as compared to wavelength-specific lasers. Generally, the broader the lasers' tuning ranges, the more the traffic can be admitted to the network. However, broad tuning range requires sophisticated technology, and probably high cost. To achieve the optimal tradeoff between the admissible traffic and the cost, we investigate the relationship between lasers' tuning ranges and the network's admissible traffic and then design WDM PON by selecting lasers with proper tuning ranges for the upstream data transmission. Specifically, we focus on addressing two issues under three scenarios. The two issues are: how to admit the largest traffic by properly selecting lasers, and how to admit given upstream traffic using lasers with tuning ranges as narrow as possible. The three scenarios are: full-range tunable and wavelength-specific lasers are available, limited-range tunable lasers are available, and the exact number of lasers with specific tuning ranges are given.      

高能半导体泵浦气体激光器

在重新梳理高能激光底层物理问题的基础上,指出半导体泵浦气体激光器将是未来高能激光器的重要发展方向,讨论了半导体泵浦气体激光器的基本原理和核心要求,并以半导体泵浦碱金属蒸气激光器为例进行了详细剖析,对半导体泵浦气体激光器的前景进行了展望。     

High performance CW 1.26 μm GaInNAsSb-SQW and 1.20 μmGaInAsSb-SQW ridge lasers

Long-wavelength GaInNAsSb SQW lasers and GaInAsSb SQW lasers that include small amounts of Sb have been successfully grown by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy (GSMBE) and processed into ridge lasers. The GaInNAsSb lasers oscillated under CW operation at 1.258 μm at room temperature. A low CW threshold current of 10.2 mA and high characteristic temperature (T₀) of 146 K were obtained for the GaInNAsSb lasers which is the best result for GaInNAs-based narrow-stripe lasers. Furthermore. The GaInAsSb lasers oscillated under CW operation at 1.20 μm at room temperature. A low CW threshold current of 6.3 mA and high characteristic temperature (T₀) of 756 K were obtained for the GaInAsSb lasers, which is also the best result for the 1.2 μm-range of highly strained GaInAs-based narrow-stripe lasers     

High-efficiency short-cavity InGaAsP laser with one high-reflectivity mirror

High differential quantum efficiency (70%), high output power (5 mW), and stable single-frequency output at high (1 Gbit/s) modulation rates have been obtained experimentally using short-cavity InGaAsP injection lasers with a metallic mirror on one facet only.     

相位锁定至超窄线宽激光的高相干性双光梳研究

研究并实现了一种相位锁定至超窄线宽激光的双光梳系统。实验通过将两台重复频率约为200MHz、重复频率差约为17 kHz的掺铒锁模激光器的对应梳齿,同时分别锁定到两台不同波长(1542 nm和1560 nm)的窄线宽连续激光器上,实现了相位相干且稳定度高的双光梳。锁定后单台光梳的梳齿线宽均低于5Hz(受限测试条件),两台光梳的相对线宽小于0.35Hz。该双光梳系统对于高精度光谱分析、时频传递,尤其是绝对距离测量等领域具有重要的应用价值。     

Phase-locking of two photonic crystal fibre lasers by mutual injection scheme

In recent years, exciting progress has been made in the upscaling of high-power fibre lasers, owing to the advance in cladding pump and fibre fabrication technologies. Especially, with the advent of photonic crystal fibres (PCFs), Yb-doped PCFs are rapidly being developed and utilised in the study of high-power fibre lasers, the reported output power of PCF laser having exceeded kW levels [1]. Compared with the conventional fibres, PCFs have many unique properties such as endless singlemode guiding, large singlemode area, small nonlinearity, and high numerical aperture of inner cladding, etc., which make PCFs especially suitable for producing high-power lasers with good beam quality. However, as in the case of the conventional fibre lasers, nonlinear effects and onset of catastrophic thermo-optical damage are the main limitations of the upgrading of high-power PCF lasers. Thus, coherent addition schemes are also desired for PCF lasers to achieve higher output power with higher brightness.     

用于光电对抗的高重频中红外激光器综述

高重频中红外激光器在光电对抗及其它领域具有重要的应用价值,其输出的激光波长覆盖了3μm～5μm,主要包括直接抽运式高重频中红外固体激光器、高重频中红外光纤激光器和高重频中红外光学参量振荡器3种类型.介绍了产生高重频中红外激光的主要技术方案,并讨论了上述3种类型激光器的相关进展状况.最后,对各种技术所存在的问题和未来的发...     

High temperature operation of lambda =1.5 mu m tensile strained multiple quantum well SIPBH lasers

The high temperature operation of 1.5 mu m wavelength, strained-layer multiple quantum well, semi-insulating planar buried heterostructure lasers is reported. The lasers, which are grown by low-pressure organometallic vapour phase epitaxy and which have four 1.6% tensile strained In/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/As wells (thickness 8 nm), operate in CW mode up to heatsink temperatures of 140 degrees C. The CW output power at 100 degrees C is 26 mW per facet. These results are a marked improvement when compared to data reported thus far for 1.5 mu m wavelength lasers.<>     

Operating Characteristics of Semiconductor Quantum Well Lasers as Functions of the Waveguide Region Thickness

The performance characteristics of semiconductor lasers based on quantum wells (QWs) are theoretically studied as functions of the thickness of the waveguide region [optical confinement layer (OCL)]. The maximum modal gain, optical-confinement factor (in QWs, OCLs, and emitters), threshold current density, electron and hole densities (in QWs and OCLs), internal optical loss (in QWs, OCLs, and cladding layers), internal differential quantum efficiency, currents of stimulated and spontaneous recombination and the output optical power of the laser are calculated as functions of the OCL thickness. It is shown that up to pump current densities of 50 kA/cm² the dependence of the output power of the considered lasers on the OCL thickness is weak in the thickness range of 1.5–2.8 μm. This result is important for the development of high-brightness lasers, since such lasers use a wide waveguide to ensure low radiation divergence. It is shown that, at very high pump-current densities, the output power has a maximum as a function of the OCL width.

     

Development of Fiber Lasers and Their Applications

1 Introduction Fiber lasers have been developed for more than forty years since Snitzer!s proposal and the demonstration of Nd- doped fiber in 1961 [1]. But fiber lasers have not been attracted considerable attention until the develop- ment of the low- loss fiber fabrication technology and the high power semiconductor laser technology recently. Actually,it is the application and development of fiber communication technology that has promoted the rapid development of fiber laser. Fiber laser, …     

SUPER PON-a fiber to the home cable network for CATV andPOTS/ISDN/VOD as economical as a coaxial cable network

A complete super PON fiber to the home cable network as economical as the classic coaxial cable network, designed for application in the local loop is presented. The concept uses high power lasers, remote pumped erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) to reduce cost by high splitting ratio, economical receivers for the downstream direction and economical CD player lasers for the upstream direction. Several novel technical solutions for this application (a new method to avoid stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), remote pumping of the EDFA and a compensating technique to adapt the CD laser to the normal fiber) are presented     

Advanced semiconductor lasers

Recent research activities in the field of advanced semiconductor lasers are reviewed with emphasis on highly stable single-wavelength lasers and surface-emitting (SE) lasers for wideband lightwave communication systems and optical parallel information processing. The operational characteristics of DSM (dynamic single-mode) lasers are summarized and requirements for high-performance operation as light sources for high-speed transmission or coherent communications are described. A type of DSM laser called the distributed-reflector (DR) laser is described as an advanced DSM laser which enables high efficiency, high power, and narrow linewidth operations. Specific features and the potential of SE lasers are summarized. Research activities and remaining problems to be solved for a breakthrough in optical parallel information processing are presented. The potential of multidimensional quantum-well structures, such as QW lasers and quantum-box lasers, is discussed in terms of superior characteristics in both stationary and dynamic operations. The present fabrication technologies for realizing high-performance lasers based on multidimensional QW structures are also presented     

Noise characteristics of stripe-geometry double-heterostructure junction lasers operating continuously--I. Intensity noise at room temperature

Measurements of the noise fluctuations present in the output intensity from stripe-geometry double-heterostructure junction lasers operating continuously at room temperature are reported. In some but not all the lasers studied, the low-frequency (50-MHz) fluctuations exhibit the quieting expected of an amplitude-stabilized oscillator operating above threshold. The intensity noise in these lasers becomes shot noise limited at currents about 10 percent above threshold, even when many longitudinal modes are oscillating. Additional measurements demonstrate explicitly the effective elimination of the wave-interaction, or excess, noise during the transit of the threshold region. However, in other lasers which are nominally similar, only a partial reduction of the excess noise occurs above threshold, resulting in a noise level which can be more than ten times the shot-noise limit. In addition, we find in all lasers studied thus far no quieting at high frequencies (4 GHz), in apparent contradiction to the behavior expected of a well-stabilized oscillator.     

高性能激光单脉冲选择器

本文论述了采用三种类型雪崩晶体管驱动器的高性能激光单脉冲选择器的工作原理及设计思想,并分析了它们各自的特点。这类激光单脉冲选择器的抖动<1ns,寿命>10~7次,延迟时间约为20ns,单脉冲选出率为100％,信噪比>10~3。