Microwave Characterization and Stabilization of Timing Jitter in a Quantum-Dot Passively Mode-Locked Laser via External Optical Feedback

Author

Lin, Chang-Yi ; Grillot, Frédéric ; Li, Yan ; Raghunathan, Ravi ; Lester, Luke F.

Author_Institution

Center for High Technol. Mater., Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Volume

17

Issue

5

fYear

2011

Firstpage

1311

Lastpage

1317

Abstract

The pulse-to-pulse rms timing jitter of a 5.25-GHz quantum-dot (QD) two-section passively mode-locked laser is characterized through an all-microwave technique. The experimental phase noise spectra at different harmonics are in good agreement with previous diffusion-based theory. This theory is validated for a QD mode-locked laser device for the first time. This measurement technique provides a simple way to characterize the noise performance of a passively mode-locked laser. Furthermore, the average pulse-to-pulse rms timing jitter reduces from 295 to 32 fs/cycle via external optical feedback.

Keywords

laser feedback; laser mode locking; laser noise; laser variables measurement; microwave measurement; microwave spectra; quantum dot lasers; time division multiplexing; timing jitter; all-microwave technique; external optical feedback; frequency 5.25 GHz; microwave characterization; noise performance; phase noise spectra; pulse-to-pulse rms timing jitter; quantum-dot passively mode-locked laser; timing jitter stabilization; Harmonic analysis; Laser feedback; Optical attenuators; Optical feedback; Radio frequency; Timing jitter; Mode-locked lasers; optical feedback; semiconductor quantum-dot (QD) lasers; timing jitter;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JSTQE.2011.2118745

Filename

5740563