Monolithically integrated semiconductor LED-amplifier for applications as transceivers in fiber access systems

We have fabricated a monolithically integrated LED-amplifier chip for application as a high-power broad-band transmitter. Amplified LED output of 10 mW and fiber-coupled power of 4 mW was demonstrated. The device can be used as a spectrally-sliced transmitter for wavelength-division-multiplexed networks or as a broad-band transmitter in subcarrier multiple-access systems to eliminate optical beat interference. The amplifier section in the integrated device can also be used as a photodetector. The performance of the device as a transceiver in a WDM multiple-access system operating at a typically proposed local-access data rate of 10 Mb/s was successfully demonstrated.