Multiterahertz frequency conversion of a picosecond pulse train using nonlinear gain dynamics in a 1.5 mu m MQW semiconductor laser amplifier

Author

Schnabel, Raik ; Pieper, W. ; Ludwig, Ralf ; Weber, H.G.

Author_Institution

Heinrich Hertz Inst. fur Nachrichtentech. Berlin GmbH, Germany

Volume

29

Issue

9

fYear

1993

fDate

4/29/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

821

Lastpage

822

Abstract

The femtosecond nonlinear gain dynamics in semiconductor laser amplifiers were used for the 3.8 THz frequency conversion of 30 ps pulses by four-wave mixing. The experiments demonstrate that the ultrafast time regime associated with the nonlinear gain dynamics in a semiconductor laser amplifier (SLA) may be used for the frequency conversion of picosecond optical pulses. The four-wave mixing arrangement also offers the potential to operate as an optically switched optical gate. Consequently, the experiments elucidate the feasibility of operating the SLA as an ultrafast optical gate.

Keywords

laser beam applications; multiwave mixing; optical frequency conversion; optical switches; semiconductor lasers; 1.5 micron; 3.8 THz; 30 ps; MQW; THF; four-wave mixing; frequency conversion; multiple quantum well; nonlinear gain dynamics; nonlinear optics; optically switched optical gate; picosecond optical pulses; picosecond pulse train; semiconductor laser amplifier; ultrafast optical gate; ultrafast time regime;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electronics Letters

Publisher

iet

ISSN

0013-5194

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/el:19930548

Filename

211291