CW Gain Characteristics of Linear Optical Amplifiers

Author

Zheng, W. ; Taylor, G.W.

Author_Institution

Connecticut Univ., Storrs

Volume

43

Issue

8

fYear

2007

Firstpage

714

Lastpage

721

Abstract

The operation of the linear optical amplifier is described in terms of the two mutually orthogonal optical waves in the cavity of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) when operated above threshold. Both photon populations induce stimulated emission from the same quantum-well population and the amplifier gain is constant due to the clamped value of stimulated lifetime (gain) in the VCSEL. An analytical description is developed for both the constant gain region when the VCSEL is above threshold and for the region of gain compression at higher input power. The maximum gain is found to occur at the cavity mode position. Experimental data are found to be well matched by the calculated results.

Keywords

laser beams; laser cavity resonators; quantum well lasers; semiconductor optical amplifiers; surface emitting lasers; CW gain characteristics; VCSEL; constant gain region; linear optical amplifiers; orthogonal optical waves; quantum-well population; vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser; Gain; Operational amplifiers; Optical amplifiers; Optical surface waves; Quantum well lasers; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission; Surface emitting lasers; Surface waves; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers; Linear optical amplifiers (LOAs); optical amplifiers; semiconductor; stimulated lifetime;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JQE.2007.901291

Filename

4276836