Side-mode suppression mechanism of gain-coupled DFB lasers with periodically etched quantum wells

The effect of the gain and index coupling on the side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) is studied for gain-coupled DFB lasers with periodically etched quantum wells. An accurate expression for the SMSR based on the amplified spontaneous emission model is used with the local-normal-mode transfer-matrix method. The mechanism for the strong single-mode stability of the gain-coupled DFB lasers is explained by the difference between the effective gain and loss of the Bloch waves in the grating structures. This new view clearly shows the advantage of the gain-coupled DFB lasers in terms of single-mode stability.     

Mechanism for high singlemode stability of gain-coupled DFB laserswith periodically etched quantum wells

The sidemode suppression ratio of gain-coupled DFB lasers with periodically etched quantum wells is analysed by a more accurate model for amplified spontaneous emission. It is shown that the periodic etching of quantum wells is very effective for providing a high side-mode suppression. The mechanism for the high singlemode stability is explained by the effective modal gain. which has an enhancement at the longer wavelength side of the Bragg stopband     

Wavelength shift enhancement in quantum-well intermixeddistributed-feedback lasers

The maximum possible shift in emission wavelength of a quantum-well (QW) intermixed distributed-feedback (DFB) laser as a function of degree of intermixing is studied. In a recent experiment, the wavelength shift of a QW intermixed DFB laser is around 13% of the bandgap blue shift. Our study indicates that if a smaller grating period is used, the wavelength shift can be increased by four times to 50% of the bandgap blue shift, because it is not necessary to change the carrier density significantly in order to maintain a modal gain above lasing threshold. The maximum tuning range is found to be 20 nm, indicating that QW intermixing can be used to fabricate multiwavelength DFB laser arrays for wavelength-division-multiplexing communication systems     

Spontaneous Radiative Efficiency and Gain Characteristics of Strained-Layer InGaAs–GaAs Quantum-Well Lasers

The optical gain spectra, unamplified spontaneous emission spectra, and spontaneous radiative efficiency are extracted from the measurement of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) on a single pass, segmented contact 0.98-mum-emitting aluminum-free InGaAs-InGaAsP-GaAs quantum-well (QW) laser diode. These measurements provide a baseline for which to compare higher strain InGaAs QW lasers emitting near 1.2 mum. The peak gain-current relationship is extracted from gain spectra and the peak gain parameter go is found to agree within 25% of the value extracted using conventional cavity length analysis for 0.98-mum-emitting devices. The spontaneous radiative current is extracted using the fundamental connection between gain and unamplified spontaneous emission, which in turn gives an estimate of the amount of nonradiative recombination in this material system. The spontaneous radiative efficiency, the ratio of spontaneous radiative current to total current, at room temperature of 0.98-mum-emitting InGaAs QW laser material is found to be in the range of 40%-54%, which is 2.5-3.5 times larger than that of highly strained InGaAs QW laser emitting near lambda = 1.2 mum. Whereas the gain parameter, g₀ = dg/d(ln j), was measured to be 1130 and 1585 cm^-1 for the 0.98-mum- and 1.2-mum-emitting materials, respectively. From the calculated below threshold current injection efficiency of 75%-85%, we deduce that the internal radiative efficiency of the QW material is ~ 20% higher than the ratio of internal radiative current to external injected current extracted directly from ASE measurements.     

Transfer matrix analysis of the amplified spontaneous emission ofDFB semiconductor laser amplifiers

Analytical expressions are derived for the amplified spontaneous emission of a DFB (distributed-feedback) semiconductor laser amplifier with reflective cavity ends. The analysis is extended to a multisection DFB structure including a phase-shifted DFB semiconductor laser amplifier. It is shown that the spontaneous emission power per unit frequency bandwidth emitted from one facet is proportional to the transmission gain and to a quantity which at threshold becomes the inverse of the differential quantum efficiency of the other facet. The analysis is applied to two practical cases: (1) calculation of emission spectra of a DFB semiconductor laser biased below the threshold, and (2) assessment of the signal-to-noise ratio performance of DFB semiconductor laser amplifiers     

Effective linewidth enhancement factor and spontaneous emissionrate of DFB lasers with gain coupling

A field rate equation governing the noise and dynamic properties of a DFB (distributed feedback) laser with gain coupling is presented. Analytic expressions for the effective linewidth enhancement factor and spontaneous emission rate are derived. It is shown numerically that the linewidth contribution from spontaneous emission can be substantially reduced in DFB lasers with gain coupling     

Self-Consistent Analysis of Strain-Compensated InGaN–AlGaN Quantum Wells for Lasers and Light-Emitting Diodes

Strain-compensated InGaN–AlGaN quantum wells (QW) are investigated as improved active regions for lasers and light emitting diodes. The strain-compensated QW structure consists of thin tensile-strained AlGaN barriers surrounding the InGaN QW. The band structure was calculated by using a self-consistent 6-band $kcdot p$ formalism, taking into account valence band mixing, strain effect, spontaneous and piezoelectric polarizations, as well as the carrier screening effect. The spontaneous emission and gain properties were analyzed for strain-compensated InGaN–AlGaN QW structures with indium contents of 28%, 22%, and 15% for lasers (light-emitting diodes) emitting at 480 (500), 440 (450), and 405 nm (415 nm) spectral regimes, respectively. The spontaneous emission spectra show significant improvement of the radiative emission for strain-compensated QW for all three structures compared to the corresponding conventional InGaN QW, which indicates the enhanced radiative efficiency for light emitting diodes. Our studies show the improvement of the optical gain and reduction of the threshold current density from the use of strain-compensated InGaN–AlGaN QW as active regions for diode lasers.      

Linewidth study of InAs-InGaAs quantum dot distributed feedback lasers

The linewidth of laterally loss-coupled distributed feedback (DFB) lasers based on InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in an InGaAs quantum well (QW) is investigated. Narrow linewidth operation of QD devices is demonstrated. A linewidth-power product less than 1.2 MHz /spl middot/ mW is achieved in a device of 300-/spl mu/m cavity length for an output power up to 2 mW. Depending on the gain offset of the DFB modes from the QD ground state gain peak, linewidth rebroadening or a floor is observed at a cavity photon density of about 1.2-2.4/spl times/10/sup 15/ cm/sup -3/, which is much lower than in QW lasers. This phenomenon is attributed to the enhanced gain compression observed in QDs.     

Investigations of the spectral characteristics of 980-nmInGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs lasers

Semiconductor quantum-well (QW) lasers at 980 nm exhibit unique spontaneous emission spectra with a periodic envelope of approximately 2~3-nm wavelength. This phenomenon has been observed in both front facet and side spontaneous emission. The modulation is modeled in terms of coupling between the laser waveguide and the substrate waveguide which is transparent to 980-nm light. Modal gain spectra of the entire waveguide structure including substrate are calculated numerically by a transfer matrix method. The gain spectra in the active stripe and loss spectra in the unpumped QW exhibit modulation. This results in modulation of the emission spectra. An analytical approach based on coupled mode equations is developed to explain and clarify the results of the numerical modeling. The interesting case of a coupling length that is small by comparison with the gain/loss length is examined in detail. Front facet and side spontaneous emission spectra calculated using the modal gain spectra are in good agreement with the measured spectra. The results presented make it possible to interpret the unique modal characteristics of 980-nm lasers quantitatively and relate them to the physical structural parameters     

Analysis of the spontaneous emission of a tunablephase-shift-controlled DFB laser filter

Using a transfer matrix method, the results of analysis of the spontaneous emission spectrum of a three-section phase-controlled distributed feedback (DFB) laser for implementing a continuously tunable optical filter are presented. The influence of various parameters-net field gain, coupling coefficient, phase shift and reflection coefficients-on the spectrum behavior are studied theoretically. The main-to subtransmission peak magnitude ratio can be chosen while varying the frequency, which demonstrates the tunability of the three-section phase-controlled DFB laser filter. Analysis shows that a three-section DFB laser (a passive phase shift control region between two DFB structures) presents a single-mode spontaneous emission spectrum operating over a wide continuous tuning range of less than 1 nm     

Improved selectivity and decreased spontaneous emission from anAR-HR coated SL-MQW DFB semiconductor laser amplifier

It is shown that the performance of a DFB filter/amplifier can be improved considerably with respect to selectivity and amplified spontaneous emission by applying a high reflective coating to the output facet. To illustrate this a strained-layer multiple quantum well DFB filter/amplifier with an output facet reflectivity of 97% is compared with a conventional, AR-coated phase adjusted DFB filter/amplifier. Peak fiber-to-fiber gains for these devices are 21 and 18 dB, respectively, when biased at 98% of their threshold current. The transmission gain of these DFB filter/amplifiers has been measured over a wavelength span of 30 nm. For the AR-HR coated SL-MQW DFB filter/amplifier the selectivity is improved with 11 dB resulting in an extinction ratio for interfering channels of better than 35 dB and the amplified spontaneous emission is reduced by 16 dB down to -37 dBm compared to the conventional DFB filter/amplifier     

Analysis of the phase-amplitude coupling factor and spectrallinewidth of distributed feedback and composite-cavity semiconductorlasers

A Green's function approach to the analysis of semiconductor lasers is formulated in a form suitable for complex cavity structures. Both the spontaneous emission rate and the effective phase-amplitude coupling factor can be accurately evaluated. For distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers, the spontaneous emission rate is strongly dependent on both the facet reflectivities and the grating coupling coefficients. The effective phase-amplitude coupling factor depends on the wavelength detuning from the gain maximum. The calculated linewidth of DFB lasers differs considerably from previous calculated results and gives better agreement with experimental results. For composite-cavity lasers, the frequency dependence of the equivalent reflectivity has a strong impact on the phase-amplitude coupling factor and the spontaneous emission rate. Distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers are investigated as an example of a composite-cavity structure     

Gain and linewidth enhancement factor in InAs quantum-dot laserdiodes

Amplified spontaneous emission measurements are investigated below threshold in InAs quantum-dot lasers emitting at 1.22 μm. The dot layer of the laser was grown in a strained quantum well (QW) on a GaAs substrate. Ground state gain is determined from cavity mode Fabry-Perot modulation. As the injection current increases, the gain rises super-linearly while changes in the index of refraction decrease. Below the onset of gain saturation, the linewidth enhancement factor is as small as 0.1, which is significantly lower than that reported for QW lasers     

Transfer-matrix formulation of spontaneous emission noise of DFBsemiconductor lasers

A unified formulation of the spontaneous emission noise in semiconductor DFB (distributed feedback) lasers is presented by using a transfer-matrix approach. Analytical expressions for the noise power per unit frequency bandwidth below threshold and the spontaneous emission rate into the lasing mode are obtained based on the Green's function method. Three DFB laser structures are analyzed: (1) a standard DFB structure with facet reflectivities, (2) a multisection DFB structure composed of n sections which models a phase-shifted DFB laser and a multielectrode (tunable) DFB laser, and (3) a periodic layered DFB structure which models a surface-emitting DFB laser. It is shown that the spontaneous emission noise of a complicated DFB laser structure can be calculated easily by the transfer matrix of each section of the structure and its derivative to frequency     

New gain compression factor determination by harmonic analysis insemiconductor lasers

Measurements, on CATV DFB strained QW lasers, of first-order, second-order optical modulation depth (OMD) and, for the first time, of DC component decrease with modulation Δ_DC are fitted within a nonlinear model giving a precise determination of gain compression factor ϵ. This direct determination method at intermediate modulation frequencies is simpler and gives higher precision of ϵ than existing measurement methods such as relaxation resonance peak characteristics or emission wavelength shift     

Nondegenerate four-wave mixing efficiencies in DFB laser wavelengthconverters

The salient parameters affecting nondegenerate four-wave-mixing (FWM) conversion efficiency in distributed-feedback (DFB) laser wavelength converters are examined analytically. Both the maximum attainable, and typical gain saturated, FWM efficiencies are derived. Typical DFB lasers cannot achieve maximum conversion efficiency due to gain saturation, while laser-amplifier combinations potentially can. The ratio of efficiency to spontaneous emission noise is also addressed, where it is found that this ratio increases quadratically with net unsaturated gain     

Surface emitting InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback laser diode at 1.53 mu m with monolithic integrated microlens

Monolithic integration of a distributed feedback (DFB) surface-emitting laser diode with a microlens is demonstrated. The transverse and longitudinal cross-sectional views of the laser diode are illustrated. The microlens and a DFB laser structure are located on opposite sides of an n-InP substrate. 11 mA minimum continuous wave (CW) threshold current and 5 mW CW emission perpendicular to the InP substrate are achieved at room temperature using a chemically etched 45 degrees mirror. Single mode emission at 1.53 mu m is obtained. The integrated microlens, etched by ion beam and coated with aluminum oxide, provides optical beam collimation and an ultralow laser mode reflectivity of <10/sup -4/.<>     

Basic analysis of AR-coated, partly gain-coupled DFB lasers: thestanding wave effect

A theoretical analysis of distributed feedback (DFB) lasers with mixed gain and index coupling (partly gain-coupled DFB) is given for perfect antireflection (AR) coatings. Analytical expressions for the threshold gain, facet loss, and the relative depth of the standing wave pattern are derived. At the same time the importance of the standing wave effect and its consideration by coupled mode equations is shown. For purely gain-coupled DFB lasers, simple expressions for the effective linewidth enhancement factor and the longitudinal spontaneous emission factor are derived. In addition, various approximations describing the performance of purely gain-coupled DFB lasers are given     

Thermal annealing effect on organic semiconducting polymer laser with an external holographic grating feedback layer

Thermal annealing effect on an organic distributed feedback (DFB) laser excited from a semiconducting polymer gain layer, poly(2-methoxy-5-(2’-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenyl-envinylene) (MEH-PPV), is reported. The morphology, absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectral characteristics of the MEH-PPV film annealed at different temperatures were analyzed. The amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), the optical gain and loss coefficients were also investigated. The organic lasing behaviors including threshold, energy conversion efficiency and polarization state in a DFB laser device were studied. The results show that the optical properties of the organic semiconducting laser can be enhanced by thermal annealing effect. The single mode laser emission at 622.4 nm with lower lasing threshold 0.2 μJ/pulse and higher energy conversion efficiency 6.71% was achieved with thermal annealing at 120 °C. The thermal annealing treatment decreases laser threshold and increases laser energy conversion efficiency dramatically, which shows the potential in ultra-low cost organic semiconducting polymer DFB lasers.     

Spontaneous emission induced filamentation in flared amplifiers

We present a propagation model for the steady-state properties of InGaAs QW flared laser amplifiers. Included in this analysis are diffusion, diffraction, carrier induced antiguiding, current spreading, gain spatial hole burning, gain compression and spontaneous emission. By monitoring the progress of the field, as well as the carrier density, we show that spontaneous emission, coupled with gain spatial hole burning, can result in filamentation of the amplifier output. This mechanism is in addition to other phenomena such as thermal effects and reflective feedback which have been shown to cause filamentation