Modulation performance of a semiconductor laser coupled to an external high-Q resonator

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/3.106· OSTI ID:7255463

Agrawal, G P; Henry, C H

The dynamic response of a semiconductor laser coupled to an external resonator is studied using the single-mode rate equations modified to account for the dispersive feedback. Both the frequency and the damping rate of relaxation oscillations are affected by the feedback. The frequency chirp that invariably accompanies amplitude modulation is significantly reduced. The feedback also reduces the phase noise and the linewidth. To investigate the usefulness of external-resonator lasers in high-speed optical communication systems, the authors have solved the rate equations numerically to obtain the emitted chirped pulse; the pulse is propagated through the fiber, detected, and filtered at the receiver. The simulated eye diagrams show that such lasers can be operated at high bit rates with negligible dispersion penalty owing to their reduced frequency chip. An improvement in the bit rate by about a factor of two is predicted by the use of an external high-Q resonator under typical operating conditions.

• Research Organization: AT and T Bell Labs., Murray Hill, NJ (US)
• OSTI ID: 7255463
• Journal Information: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States) Vol. 24:2; ISSN IEJQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
COUPLING
DAMPING
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FEEDBACK
LASERS
MODULATION
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
RELAXATION
RESONATORS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
USES