Harmonic distortion in 1.55-μm vertical-cavity lasers

Author

Piprek, J. ; Takiguchi, K. ; Black, K.A. ; Hu, E.L. ; Bowers, J.E.

Author_Institution

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

Volume

12

Issue

12

fYear

2000

Firstpage

1686

Lastpage

1688

Abstract

We investigate second and third order harmonics in the analog modulation response of InP-GaAs fused 1.55-μm vertical-cavity lasers (VCLs). These devices exhibit the lowest threshold current as well as the highest temperature of continuous-wave operation of any electrically pumped long wavelength VCL. Near the resonance frequency, harmonic distortion is dominated by electron-photon interaction, and it is close to the distortion measured with in-plane lasers. At low frequencies, distortions seem to be dominated by carrier transport effects. At 1 GHz modulation frequency, we measure a maximum spur-free dynamic range of 64 dB Hz¹2/ for second-order harmonic distortion and 81-dB Hz²3/ for third-order harmonic distortion.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; carrier mobility; gallium arsenide; harmonic distortion; indium compounds; laser cavity resonators; optical transmitters; semiconductor lasers; surface emitting lasers; 1.55 mum; 1.55-/spl mu/m vertical-cavity lasers; GHz modulation frequency; InP-GaAs; analog modulation response; carrier transport effects; continuous-wave operation; electrically pumped long wavelength vertical cavity lasers; electron-photon interaction; harmonic distortion; in-plane lasers; lowest threshold current; maximum spur-free dynamic range; third order harmonics; third-order harmonic distortion; Distortion measurement; Frequency measurement; Harmonic distortion; Laser noise; Pump lasers; Resonance; Temperature; Threshold current; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers; Wavelength measurement;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.896349

Filename

896349