Continuous-wave lasing of single-mode metamorphic quantum dot lasers for the 1.5-μm spectral region

Lasers based on InAs/InGaAs quantum dots grown on metamorphic (In,Ga,Al)As layers deposited by MBE on GaAs substrates exhibited emission near 1.5 μm with a differential quantum efficiency of about 50%. The narrow-stripe lasers operate in a single transverse mode and withstand continuous current density above 20 kA cm^?2 without significant degradation. A maximum continuous-wave output power of 220 mW is obtained. Neither current nor beam filamentation was observed up to the highest pumping levels.     

Reducing interchannel crosstalk in long-haul DWDM systems

Nonlinear interaction between signal channels may result in significant performance degradation in transoceanic dense wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) transmission systems operated at high bit rates. In this paper, we report that the nonlinear crosstalk for systems with high spectral efficiency can be suppressed if WDM channels are launched with orthogonal relative states of polarization. It is shown that for adjacent channels (that experience the strongest nonlinear interaction) the launched relative state of polarization is maintained over the large distance of low polarization-mode dispersion fiber typically used in undersea systems. Numerical studies, as well as experimental results, are presented for standard and dispersion slope-matched dispersion maps     

Error-free 10 Gbit/s transmission using individual Fabry-Perot modes of low-noise quantum-dot laser

A comb-generating laser suitable for DWDM application is demonstrated on the basis of a multimode quantum-dot laser. Bit error rate < 10^-13 at 10 Gbit/s external modulation was measured for 10 longitudinal modes owing to low (<0.3% over 0.001-10 GHz) relative intensity noise of each individual mode.     

Operating characteristics and their anisotropy in a high-power laser (1.5 W, 300 K) with a quantum-dot active region

Continuous-wave lasing has been demonstrated in a vertically coupled quantum-dot laser with a high output power (1.5 W) at room temperature. It was shown that anisotropy of the quantum dot profile leads to anisotropy of the laser operating characteristics. Pis’ma Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 24, 50–55 (May 12, 1998)     

Stable mode-locked operation up to 80 /spl deg/C from an InGaAs quantum-dot laser

We demonstrate the mode-locked operation of a two-section quantum-dot laser in a broad temperature range. Stable mode-locking was observed at temperatures ranging from 20 /spl deg/C to 70 /spl deg/C, with signal-to-noise ratios well over 20 dB and a -3-dB linewidth smaller than 80 kHz. In the temperature range between 70 /spl deg/C and 80 /spl deg/C, the mode-locking was less stable. It was found that in order to provide stable mode-locked operation with increasing temperature, the reverse bias on the absorber section must be reduced accordingly.     

1.3 μm InAs quantum dot resonant cavity light emitting diodes

Resonant cavity light emitting diodes (RCLEDs) containing nine sheets of self-organized InAs quantum dot (QD) active layers and operating at around 1.3 μm are demonstrated. The structure was grown directly on GaAs substrates, which includes selectively oxidized AlO_x current apertures and intracavity metal contacts. It was found that the average operating resistance is 60 Ω, while the average turn-on voltages is 1.6 V. It was also found that temperature coefficient of these RCLEDs was about 0.11 nm/°C.     

Nonlinear optical beam propagation for optical limiting

We implement numerical modeling of high-energy laser-pulse propagation through bulk nonlinear optical materials using focused beams. An executable program with a graphical user interface is made available to researchers for modeling the propagation of beams through materials much thicker than the diffraction length (up to 10(3) times longer). Ultrafast nonlinearities of the bound-electronic Kerr effect and two-photon absorption as well as time-dependent excited-state and thermal nonlinearities are taken into account. The hydrodynamic equations describing the rarefaction of the medium that is due to heating are solved to determine thermal index changes for nanosecond laser pulses. We also show how this effect can be simplified in some cases by an approximation that assumes instantaneous expansion (so-called thermal lensing approximation). Comparisons of numerical results with several Z-scan, optical limiting and beam distortion experiments are presented. Possible application to optimization of a passive optical limiter design is discussed.     

Characterization and Modeling of Broad Spectrum InAs–GaAs Quantum-Dot Superluminescent Diodes Emitting at 1.2–1.3 μm

High-power broadband superluminescent diodes (SLDs) emitting in the 1.2-1.3-mum region are demonstrated using InAs-GaAs quantum dots (QDs). The highest output powers of ~30-50 mW are achieved using 18 QD layers with p-doped GaAs spacers. At these high powers the device operates in a regime of broad bandwidth (~100 nm) with a spectral dip of ~5 dB between two separate peaks originated by the QD ground and excited states. Spectral calculations performed with a traveling-wave rate equation model show excellent agreement with the experimental data and provide design rules for optimizing the output spectrum. SLD characteristics are presented for two different device structures consisting of tilted and bent waveguides. The latter allows the achievement of higher output powers at lower currents. The coherence properties and the temperature characteristics are also discussed in detail.     

A single-spatial-mode semiconductor laser based on InAs/InGaAs quantum dots with a diffraction filter of optical modes

The concept of a diffraction optical filter is used for prevention of high-order mode oscillation in a design of stripe laser diodes with an active region based on InAs/InGaAs quantum dots emitting in the 1.3-μm wavelength range grown on GaAs substrates. Incorporation of such a filter made it possible to increase the width of the stripe and obtain an output power as high as 700 mW with retention of a single-spatial-mode character of lasing.     

High-power monolithic passively modelocked quantum-dot laser

High-power operation of monolithic modelocked lasers based on 1.26 /spl mu/m self-organised quantum dots has been achieved in the 30-60/spl deg/C range for the first time. A 60/spl deg/C peak power reaches 1.7 W with a pulse width of 3.2 ps at a repetition frequency of 5 GHz.