Polarization self-modulation in semiconductor lasers

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5232533

Loh, Weihung

A method to generate modulated light using a semiconductor lamputis proposed and experimentally tested. The basic idea behind this method is simple. Most semiconductor lasers lase in the TE (transverse electric) polarization state instead of the TM (transverse magnetic) state. However, if a polarization converter is inserted into the cavity which forces the polarization to rotate by 90{degree}, then the light may be induced to periodically change its polarization state every round trip through the cavity. Experimentally, this idea was tested with external cavity semimputuctor laser configurations, for reasons of convenience. Linear cavity as well as ring cavity structures were tried, and polarization self-modulation was successfully observed in both these cases. In addition, optical chaos was also observed in the linear cavity configuration. For the ring cavity configuration, additional higher frequency self-modulation phenomena were observed, with the frequencies always odd harmonics of the fundamental. With the use of these higher frequency effects, self-modulation amputz frequencies was achieved. Theoretical work undertaken to examine this phenomena by the development of a model showed that self-modulation at very high frequencies, tens of G Hz, should be possible, which is very promising form an application point of view. The model was also able to simulate the higher frequency oscillations very well, adding further credibility to the model being used.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5232533
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
CONFIGURATION
DESIGN
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FREQUENCY MODULATION
LASER CAVITIES
LASER RADIATION
LASERS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MODULATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POLARIZATION
RADIATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
SOLID STATE LASERS
TESTING