A theoretical model of synchronization of a mode-locked semiconductor laser with an external pulse stream

Author

Khalfin, Viktor B. ; Arnold, J.M. ; Marsh, John H.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electron. & Electr. Eng., Glasgow Univ., UK

Volume

1

Issue

2

fYear

1995

fDate

6/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

523

Lastpage

527

Abstract

The frequency range over which a semiconductor laser will synchronize to an external pulse stream is analyzed. The laser is taken to be fully integrated, consisting of an amplifier, a passive waveguide and a saturable absorber. The model is of the lumped parameter type and, in particular, includes the effects of large signal optical pulses, absorption in the passive waveguide and gain dispersion and self-phase modulation in the amplifier. The situation in which the external signal illuminates the saturable absorber without being coupled optically into the laser cavity is analyzed. It is shown that, for synchronization to occur, the external signal must be of comparable intensity to that of the circulating pulse. The range over which locking will occur lies between 0.05% and 0.2% of the mode-locking frequency for external signals of amplitude 0.1 to 0.5 times that of the circulating pulse. It is concluded that integrated mode-locked semiconductor lasers could be used for clock extraction in communication systems

Keywords

integrated optics; laser cavity resonators; laser mode locking; laser theory; laser tuning; optical modulation; optical saturable absorption; semiconductor lasers; synchronisation; waveguide lasers; absorption; amplifier; circulating pulse; clock extraction; communication systems; external pulse stream; external signal; frequency range; gain dispersion; integrated mode-locked semiconductor laser; large signal optical pulses; laser cavity; lumped parameter type model; mode-locked semiconductor laser; mode-locking frequency; passive waveguide; saturable absorber; self-phase modulation; synchronization; Frequency synchronization; Laser mode locking; Laser theory; Optical amplifiers; Optical pulses; Optical waveguides; Pulse amplifiers; Semiconductor lasers; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Waveguide lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2944.401237

Filename

401237