Long wavelength vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers

Author

Björlin, E. Staffan ; Riou, B. ; Abraham, Patrick ; Piprek, Joachim ; Chiu, Y.J. ; Black, K. Alexis ; Keating, A. ; Bowers, John E.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., California Univ., Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Volume

37

Issue

2

fYear

2001

fDate

2/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

274

Lastpage

281

Abstract

This paper overviews the properties and possible applications of long wavelength vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers (VCSOAs). A VCSOA operating in the 1.3-μm wavelength region is presented. The device was fabricated using wafer bonding; it was optically pumped and operated in reflection mode. The reflectivity of the VCSOA top mirror was varied in the characterization of the device. Results are presented for 13 and 12 top mirror periods. By reducing the top mirror reflectivity, the amplifier gain, optical bandwidth, and saturation output power were simultaneously improved. For the case of 12 top mirror periods, rye demonstrate 13-dB fiber-to-fiber gain, 0.6 nm (100 GHz) optical bandwidth, a saturation output power of -3.5 dBm and a noise figure of 8.3 dB. The switching properties of the VCSOA are also briefly investigated. By modulating the pump laser, we have obtained a 46-dB extinction ratio in the output power, with the maximum output power corresponding to 7-dB fiber-to-fiber gain. All results are for continuous wave operation at room temperature

Keywords

laser mirrors; laser transitions; optical fabrication; optical pumping; optical saturation; semiconductor optical amplifiers; surface emitting lasers; wafer bonding; 1.3 mum; 1.3-μm wavelength region; 100 GHz; 13 dB; VCSOA; amplifier gain; continuous wave operation; extinction ratio; fiber-to-fiber gain; long wavelength vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers; noise figure; optical bandwidth; optically pumped; overviews; pump laser; reflection mode; reflectivity; room temperature; saturation output power; top mirror; top mirror reflectivity; wafer bonding; Bandwidth; Mirrors; Optical noise; Optical pumping; Optical saturation; Power amplifiers; Power generation; Reflectivity; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.903078

Filename

903078