Design of an ultra-high power multi-section tunable laser with a semiconductor optical amplifier

Yaping Zhang, Trevor M. Benson, Christos Christopoulos

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Widely tunable ultra-high power monolithic multi-section tunable lasers have been a sought after dream for more than two decades. In recent years, tunable lasers have become critical components in the development of the next generation telecommunication networks and systems, due to their unique attributes and flexible functionalities. However, some stringent requirements have been imposed on tunable lasers by telecommunication applications regarding their tuning range, optical output power, side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR), linewidth, chirp, tuning speed, reliability, and so on. In addition, monolithic tunable lasers, requiring a regrowth process, suffer from butt-joint reflections from the regrowth interfaces of these multi-section devices, which have seriously affected their tunability, and greatly reduced their facet output power. Butt-joint reflection losses between active-passive interfaces are therefore the crucial and decisive factors in multi-section tunable laser operation. In this paper, original design ideas and novel approaches to the design of ultra-high power InGaAsP-InP based multi-section widely-tunable lasers are introduced. Simulation results show that the facet output power in the proposed new design can be greatly increased compared with a conventional design. The optimized butt-joint angles and the arrangements of these angles at the active-passive interfaces in a multi-section tunable laser can largely reduce the total adverse interface reflection in the device, and tremendously improve the operation performance of the multi-section tunable laser. Finally, an integrated curved semiconductor optical amplifier with an angled facet is introduced that would futher increase the total optical output power of the device and reduce the backward optical reflection into the device.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSemiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics II
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2006
Externally publishedYes
EventSemiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics II - Strasbourg, France
Duration: 3 Apr 20066 Apr 2006

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume6184
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

ConferenceSemiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics II
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityStrasbourg
Period3/04/066/04/06

Keywords

  • Absorption loss
  • Angled butt-joint interface
  • Angled facet
  • Bulk balance layer structure
  • InP spacer layer
  • Multi-section devices
  • SMSR
  • Semiconductor optical amplifier
  • Tunable laser
  • Ultra high power epitaxial design

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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