Automatic frequency control in a semiconductor laser and an optical amplifier

Automatic frequency control (AFC) in an injection locked or resonant type amplifier in an AlGaAs semiconductor laser was achieved through using the terminal voltage change induced by light injection. Signal-to-noise ratio in the control signal of 10 dB was obtained when the input optical power was -47 dBm and the optical gain Was 51 dB. The AFC was maintained for 3 h with an 0.3-percent output power fluctuation for 2°C ambient temperature change and 65-MHz frequency stability. Step response showed that the system response time was 1.5 s. Sensitivity to input optical power deteriorates at -49 dBm, with a 53-dB locking gain, because of frequency deviation caused by temperature modulation. The second derivative of the induced voltage and it\´s relation to the optical frequency is constant at [V/(MHz)²] for all input power levels in a buried-heterostructure (BH)-AlGaAs laser. Terminal voltage change induced by light injection is calculated by simple rate equations with a Gaussian-Halperin-Lax (GHL) bandtail model. Good agreement with experimental results was seen.