Tunable Photonic Oscillators Using Optically Injected Quantum-Dash Diode Lasers

• Published in: IEEE photonics technology letters Vol. 22; no. 11; pp. 763 - 765
• Main Authors: Pochet, Michael, Naderi, Nader A, Yan Li, Kovanis, Vassilios, Lester, Luke F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-06-2010; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Conferences; Diode lasers; Fiber optics; Frequency conversion; Laser modes; Laser stability; Lasers; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Nonlinear dynamics; Nonlinear optics; Optical fibers; optical injection; Oscillators; period-one state; Photonics; quantum-dash (QDash) lasers; Resonance; Resonant frequency; Semiconductor lasers; Tunable circuits and devices; tunable photonic oscillators
• ISSN: 1041-1135; 1941-0174
• DOI: 10.1109/LPT.2010.2044501

An analytical approximation is described and experimentally verified for predicting the resonance frequency of an optically injected quantum-dash Fabry-Pe¿rot laser in the period-one (P1) state. Due to the large spontaneous and nonlinear carrier relaxation rates measured in nanostructure lasers, the P1 resonance frequency is modified appreciably. The function presented accounts for these effects, and it also identifies the role of the linewidth enhancement factor of the optically injected slave laser. The resulting equation is shown to improve the P1 resonance frequency calculation when compared to previous models. Calculating the P1 resonance frequency is critical in using optically injected lasers as a building block for tunable photonic oscillators.