Title :
New two-mode bistability in an asymmetric absorptive multisection laser diode: theoretical analysis
Author :
Ozeki, Y. ; Tang, Chung L.
Author_Institution :
Sch. of Electr. Eng., Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, USA
fDate :
5/1/1991 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A novel two-mode bistable laser diode (TMBLD) with an asymmetric cavity configuration is proposed and analyzed. It consists of a gain region, a saturable absorber region, and a set of mode-selective mirrors (or filters). These elements are arranged such that the saturable absorber acts as an intracavity loss for one mode and a bleachable absorber external to the cavity of the other mode. Both modes share the same gain medium and compete for the same gain. Bleaching of the absorber leads to a switching of the modes and possible bistability. This two-mode bistability results from the complementary processes of mode competition in the gain section and the mode-dependent effective cross section of the saturable absorber. A rate equation analysis of the device indicates that a switching time less than 200 ps and a modulation rate over 3 Gb/s should be obtainable
Keywords :
laser cavity resonators; laser modes; optical bistability; optical communication equipment; optical saturable absorption; semiconductor junction lasers; asymmetric absorptive; asymmetric cavity configuration; bleachable absorber; filters; gain medium; gain region; intracavity loss; mode competition; mode-dependent effective cross section; mode-selective mirrors; modulation rate; multisection laser diode; rate equation analysis; saturable absorber region; switching; switching time; theoretical analysis; two-mode bistability; two-mode bistable laser diode; Diode lasers; Equations; Fiber nonlinear optics; High speed optical techniques; Optical bistability; Optical devices; Optical feedback; Optical fiber devices; Optical filters; Optical pumping;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
