Widely tunable mode-locked laser diodes using optical disk filter

Author

Akimoto, Koji ; Katagiri, Yoshitada ; Suzuki, Ken-Ichi ; Nagaoka, Shinji

Author_Institution

NTT Network Innovation Labs., Kanagawa, Japan

Volume

12

Issue

6

fYear

2000

fDate

6/1/2000 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

615

Lastpage

617

Abstract

We present a scheme for generating high-repetition-rate mode-locked optical pulses within a wide wavelength-tuning range. This scheme utilizes an external-cavity laser configuration with a disk-shaped bandpass filter (disk filter), which is set in the external cavity. The disk filter can tune its transmission wavelength by rotating parallel to the external mirror. This simple wavelength-tuning scheme allows a short external cavity, which is necessary for generating high-repetition-rate optical pulses. This paper describes a preliminary experimental demonstration exhibiting 100%-modulated mode-locked pulses at 8 GHz in the 1535-1587-nm range.

Keywords

interference filters; laser cavity resonators; laser mirrors; laser mode locking; laser tuning; optical pulse generation; semiconductor lasers; 1535 to 1587 nm; disk-shaped bandpass filter; external cavity; external-cavity laser configuration; high-repetition-rate mode-locked optical pulse generation; mode-locked pulses; optical disk filter; short external cavity; transmission wavelength tuning; wide wavelength-tuning range; widely tunable mode-locked laser diodes; Band pass filters; Diode lasers; Interference; Laser mode locking; Optical films; Optical filters; Optical harmonic generation; Optical pulse generation; Optical pulses; Tunable circuits and devices;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.849061

Filename

849061