Very steep optical thresholding Characteristic using a DFB laser diode and an SOA in an optical feedback scheme

Author

Oosterlinck, W.D. ; Morthier, G. ; Smit, M.K. ; Baets, R.

Author_Institution

Photonics Res. Group of the Dept. of Inf. Technol., Ghent Univ.-IMEC, Gent, Belgium

Volume

17

Issue

3

fYear

2005

fDate

3/1/2005 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

642

Lastpage

644

Abstract

A new optical decision or thresholding circuit, composed of a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and a distributed feedback (DFB) laser diode in an optical feedback scheme is proposed. This new circuit has been studied both by simulations and experiments. Simulations show a very steep optical decision characteristic that rises more then 5 dB over an input power range of less then 0.5 dB. It is also demonstrated that the decision point can easily be shifted by tuning the drive currents of both the laser diode or the SOA or the feedback ratio between them. The principle has been experimentally verified as well, using a discrete SOA and DFB laser diode. We showed a good agreement with the simulation results. Again a very steep optical decision characteristic, combined with the possibility to adjust the decision point was obtained.

Keywords

decision circuits; distributed feedback lasers; optical communication equipment; optical feedback; semiconductor optical amplifiers; DFB laser diode; SOA; distributed feedback laser diode; optical decision circuit; optical feedback; optical thresholding; semiconductor optical amplifier; Circuit optimization; Circuit simulation; Diode lasers; Distributed feedback devices; Feedback circuits; Laser tuning; Optical feedback; Optical tuning; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission; Distributed feedback (DFB) laser diode; optical decision characteristic; optical feedback; semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2004.842322

Filename

1396041