Reduced Recovery Time Semiconductor Optical Amplifier Using p-Type-Doped Multiple Quantum Wells

The effect of p-type doping of the active region of multiple quantum-well (MQW) semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) has been studied. Spectrogram measurements of the dynamics of the SOAs reveal that using p-doped barriers for the MQWs has significantly reduced both gain and phase recovery times. 1/e phase recovery times as short as 11 ps were demonstrated using this approach     

Static Gain, Optical Modulation Response, and Nonlinear Phase Noise in Saturated Quantum-Dot Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers

A rate equation model preserving charge neutrality for quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers (QD-SOAs) is established to investigate the nonlinear gain dynamics in the saturation regime. The static gain of QD-SOA is calculated assuming overall charge neutrality and compared with that without overall charge neutrality. Optical modulation response and nonlinear phase fluctuation through saturated QD-SOAs are calculated numerically based on a small-signal analysis. The gain dynamics of QD-SOAs are strongly dependent on the current injection level. The carrier reservoir in the wetting layer and continuum state is necessary for QD-SOAs to operate with high gain, high saturation power, and ultrafast gain recovery.     

Gain dynamics of semiconductor optical amplifiers and three-wavelength devices

A numerical model that accounts for the effects of the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) on the carrier dynamics in a travelling wave semiconductor optical amplifier is presented. The ASE is modeled using effective parameters that are derived starting from the spontaneous emission and gain models. The gain dynamics are then analyzed using the parameters extracted from measurements on a real device to explain the overshoot in the gain recovery. The model is also used to simulate the gain recovery in a three-wavelength device configuration for various injected powers and wavelengths. The recovery time when the injected beam is at the device transparency wavelength is also analyzed with particular attention to the differences between co- and counter-propagating configurations.     

Ultrafast gain dynamics in InAs-InGaAs quantum-dot amplifiers

The ultrafast dynamics of gain and refractive index in an electrically pumped InAs-InGaAs quantum-dot (QD) optical amplifier are measured at room temperature using differential transmission with femtosecond time resolution. Both absorption and gain regions are investigated. While the absorption bleaching recovery occurs on a picosecond time scale, the gain compression recovers with ~100-fs time constant, making devices based on such dots promising for high-speed optical communications     

Excited-state gain dynamics in InGaAs quantum-dot amplifiers

The ultrafast gain recovery dynamics of the first excited state (ES) is studied in an electrically pumped InGaAs quantum-dot amplifier at room temperature and compared with the ground-state (GS) gain dynamics. Pump-probe differential transmission experiments are performed in heterodyne detection and the gain dynamics are investigated as a function of injection current. An ultrafast (<200 fs) initial gain recovery of both GS and ES transition is found, promising for optical signal processing at high bit rates. The obtained results suggest the occurrence of a fast recovery of the state occupation mediated by carrier-carrier scattering as long as a reservoir of carriers in the ESs and wetting layer is present.     

Carrier Dynamics of Quantum-Dot, Quantum-Dash, and Quantum-Well Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers Operating at 1.55 μm

We assess the influence of the degree of quantum confinement on the carrier recovery times in semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) through an experimental comparative study of three amplifiers, one InAs-InGaAsP-InP quantum dot (0-D), one InAs-InAlGaAs-InP quantum dash (1-D), and one InGaAsP-In-GaAsP-InP quantum well (2-D), all of which operate near 1.55-mum wavelengths. The short-lived (around 1 ps) and long-lived (up to 2 ns) amplitude and phase dynamics of the three devices are characterized via heterodyne pump-probe measurements. The quantum-dot device is found to have the shortest long-lived gain recovery (~80 ps) as well as gain and phase changes indicative of a smaller linewidth enhancement factor, making it the most promising for high-bit-rate applications. The quantum-dot amplifier is also found to have reduced ultrafast transients, due to a lower carrier density in the dots. The quantum-dot gain saturation characteristics and temporal dynamics also provide insight into the nature of the dot energy-level occupancy and the interactions of the dot states with the wetting layer.     

Joint time-frequency measurements of modelocked semiconductor diodelasers and dynamics using frequency-resolved optical gating

Joint time-frequency ultrafast measurements using frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) have been used to provide a fundamental understanding of: (1) ultrashort pulse propagation in semiconductor optical amplifiers; (2) the modelocking dynamics in external cavity semiconductor diode lasers; and (3) correlated multiple-wavelength generation from mode locked semiconductor lasers. The pulse shaping and chirping effects measured by FROG are shown to be attributed to intracavity gain and saturable absorbing dynamics, as well as group velocity dispersion. In addition, the intracavity gain dynamics show a regime of transient unsaturated gain, which can be exploited to allow phase-correlated multiple-wavelength modelocked operation from a single-stripe external-cavity semiconductor diode laser. In this case, FROG techniques are used to understand the underlying mechanisms involved in the phase correlation process     

Study of gain compression mechanisms in multiple-quantum-well In1-xGaxAs semiconductor optical amplifiers

A combined experimental and theoretical analysis of the dynamical properties of multiple-quantum-well semiconductor optical amplifiers is presented. In particular, a polarization-independent optical amplifier has been realized using a tensile barrier InGaAs-InGaAs quantum-well active layer. The dynamics of gain recovery after optical pumping have been measured and the results have been interpreted in the light of a rate-equation analysis     

Time-Resolved Investigations of Electronic Transport Dynamics in Quantum Cascade Lasers Based on Diagonal Lasing Transition

In this study, the nature of electronic transport in quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) has been extensively investigated using an ultrafast time-resolved, degenerate, pump-probe optical technique. Our investigations enable a comprehensive understanding of the gain recovery dynamics in terms of a coupling of the electronic transport to the oscillating intracavity laser intensity. In QCLs that have a lasing transition diagonal in real space, studies of the near-threshold reveal that the transport of electrons changes bias region from phonon-limited relaxation (tens of picoseconds) below threshold to photon-driven transport via stimulated emission (a few picoseconds) above threshold. The gain recovery dynamics in the photon-driven regime is compared with conventional four-level lasers such as atomic, molecular, and semiconductor interband lasers. The depopulation dynamics out of the lower lasing state is explained using a tight-binding tunneling model and phonon-limited relaxation. For the superlattice relaxation, it is possible to explain the characteristic picosecond transport via dielectric relaxation; Monte Carlo simulations with a simple resistor model are developed, and the Esaki–Tsu model is applied. Subpicosecond dynamics due to carrier heating in the upper subband are isolated and appear to be at most about 10% of the gain compression compared with the contribution of stimulated emission. Finally, the polarization anisotropy in the active waveguide is experimentally shown to be negligible on our pump-probe data, supporting our interpretation of data in terms of gain recovery and transport.      

Ultrafast refractive-index dynamics in a multiquantum-well semiconductor optical amplifier

We investigate ultrafast refractive index dynamics in a multiquantum-well InGaAsP-InGaAs semiconductor optical amplifier that is operated in the gain regime by using a pump-and-probe approach. The pump-and-probe pulses are cross-linearly polarized. We observe a phase shift of 200/spl deg/ if the amplifier is pumped with 120 mA of current, but find that the phase shift vanishes if the injection current is increased to 160 mA. Our results indicate a contribution of two-photon absorption to the nonlinear phase shift that opposes the phase shift introduced by the gain. Finally, we observe that the phase shift comes up and disappears within a picosecond.     

Error-Free 320-Gb/s All-Optical Wavelength Conversion Using a Single Semiconductor Optical Amplifier

We demonstrate error-free wavelength conversion at 320 Gb/s by employing a semiconductor optical amplifier that fully recovers in 56 ps. Error-free operation is achieved without using forward error correction technology. We employ optical filtering to select the blue sideband of the spectrum of the probe light, to utilize fast chirp dynamics introduced by the amplifier, and to overcome the slow gain recovery. This leads to an effective recovery time of less than 1.8 ps for the wavelength converter. The wavelength converter has a simple configuration and is implemented by using fiber-pigtailed components. The concept allows photonic integration     

Intraband gain dynamics in bulk semiconductor optical amplifiers:measurements and simulations

We investigate experimentally and numerically the gain recovery time and gain compression resulting from intraband effects induced by sub-picosecond optical pulses in bulk semiconductor optical amplifiers. With the help of data produced by pump-probe measurements, the dependence of the intraband gain dynamics on pulse energy, device bias current, and length is discussed. The simulation results show a good agreement with the experimental data     

Novel extended SOAs model for applications in very high-speedsystems and its experimental validation

A novel model for current-induced gain saturated semiconductor optical amplifiers including the gain recovery dynamics is presented. An experimentally validation is also reported with practical application in an all-optical modulator for ultrafast transmission     

Ultrafast characteristics of InGaP-InGaAlP laser amplifiers

We characterize a visible, 670 nm, diode laser amplifier with respect to parameters of interest in short pulse generation and amplification. With a single pulse in the amplifier, we measure the differential gain and saturation energy of the amplifier, and changes in the optical spectrum of a pulse traveling through the amplifier. We also measure the ultrafast gain dynamics using a pump and probe technique. We find the ultrafast gain recovery time due to carrier heating is 400 fs±30 fs. Our results differ quantitatively from those reported for InGaAsP and AlGaAs amplifiers     

Ultrafast gain dynamics in asymmetrical multiple quantum-well semiconductor optical amplifiers

A numerical model for the investigation of the ultrafast gain properties in asymmetrical multiple quantum-well semiconductor optical amplifiers has been developed considering propagation of ultrashort optical pulses with different wavelengths. The dynamics of the number of carriers and carrier temperature are investigated for each quantum well. The results agree with the experimental results of pump probe measurements with different wavelengths. It is shown that gain recovery is slower for higher energy wells for pump signals of all wavelengths.     

双辅助光作用下半导体光放大器性能分析

半导体光放大器以其良好的非线性在全光网络中具有广泛应用,但较长的载流子恢复时间一直是制约其用于超快全光信号处理的速率瓶颈,基于包含自发辐射噪声的半导体光放大器模型,探讨了提高半导体光放大器增益恢复时间的有效途径,通过对制约透明波长移动,增益饱和与有效载流子寿命的相关因素进行数值分析,得出以下结论:与单辅助光相比,采用双辅助光可以在不牺牲信号增益的前提下进一步缩短载流子寿命,因而是提高半导体光放大器增益恢复时间的有效途径,这一点对工程设计和应用具有一定的指导意义.     

Ultrafast Gain Dynamics in Quantum-Dot Amplifiers: Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Investigations

Ultrafast gain dynamics in an optical amplifier with an active layer of self-organized quantum dots (QDs) emitting near 1.3$muhbox m$is characterized experimentally in a pump-probe experiment and modeled theoretically on the basis of QD Maxwell–Bloch equations. Experiment and theory are in good agreement and show ultrafast subpicoseconds gain recovery followed by a slower 5 ps recovery. This behavior is found to be mainly caused by longitudinal optical phonon scattering and strongly dependents on electronic structure and confinement energy of the dots. A low amplitude-phase coupling ($alpha$factor) is theoretically predicted and demonstrated in the experiments. The fundamental analysis reveals the underlying physical processes and indicates limitations to QD-based devices.     

Enhanced performance of all-optical half-subtracter based on cross-gain modulation (XGM) in semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) by accelerating its gain recovery dynamics

In this article, the acceleration attained in gain recovery dynamics of travelling-wave-type semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) at the expense of structural optimization is illustrated via numerical simulations. A pump–probe scheme has been utilized in order to study the outcomes of optimization of SOA operational and structural parameters on its effective gain recovery time (\({\tau _\mathrm{e}}\)). A set of optimized SOA parameters are formulated from gain recovery dynamics studies after keeping practical implementation considerations in vision. Further, the impacts of altering SOA structural and operational parameters such as injection current (I), amplifier length (L), active region width (w), active region thickness (t) and optical confinement factor (\({\varGamma } \)) on gain recovery time improvement achieved are further investigated on the performance of a cross-gain modulation (XGM) in SOA-based all-optical half-subtracter in terms of two designated performance metrics: quality factor (Q-factor) and extinction ratio (ER). It has been revealed that reduced gain recovery time-optimized SOAs-based all-optical half-subtracter arranged in a co-propagating manner exhibits improved Q-factor and ER (dB) performance at high bit rates of operation (\(\le \)80 Gbps).     

Spatially Resolved Femtosecond Pump–Probe Spectroscopy in Broad-Area Semiconductor Lasers

We investigate the ultrafast gain dynamics in broad-area semiconductor lasers with particular emphasis on spatial and spatiotemporal effects. We present a spatially resolved femtosecond pump–probe experiment which allows us to measure the compression and recovery of the gain with 250-fs temporal and 15$muhbox m$spatial resolution. We find a significant spatial variation of the gain recovery time across the lateral laser coordinate indicating an influence of the extended laser structure on the ultrafast carrier relaxation. Moreover, we are able to follow the spatiotemporal relaxation of the ultrafast spatiospectral gain saturation within the extended semiconductor active area. We find diffusion-like broadening of the locally suppressed gain on two distinct ultrafast timescales, within several picoseconds and several tens of picoseconds, resulting from an interplay between intraband relaxation, spatial holeburning, and light propagation. Supported by microscopic modeling, our results provide insight into the different mechanisms and timescales associated with the spatiotemporal carrier dynamics. These findings are essential for the design of laterally extended semiconductor active devices for ultrafast optical signal processing applications.     

Spatially resolved femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy in broad-area semiconductor lasers

We investigate the ultrafast gain dynamics in broad-area semiconductor lasers with particular emphasis on spatial and spatiotemporal effects. We present a spatially resolved femtosecond pump-probe experiment which allows us to measure the compression and recovery of the gain with 250-fs temporal and 15 /spl mu/m spatial resolution. We find a significant spatial variation of the gain recovery time across the lateral laser coordinate indicating an influence of the extended laser structure on the ultrafast carrier relaxation. Moreover, we are able to follow the spatiotemporal relaxation of the ultrafast spatiospectral gain saturation within the extended semiconductor active area. We find diffusion-like broadening of the locally suppressed gain on two distinct ultrafast timescales, within several picoseconds and several tens of picoseconds, resulting from an interplay between intraband relaxation, spatial holeburning, and light propagation. Supported by microscopic modeling, our results provide insight into the different mechanisms and timescales associated with the spatiotemporal carrier dynamics. These findings are essential for the design of laterally extended semiconductor active devices for ultrafast optical signal processing applications.