Title :
Generation of Tunable Millimeter-Wave and THz Signals With an Optically Injected Quantum Dot Distributed Feedback Laser
Author :
Hurtado, A. ; Henning, I.D. ; Adams, M.J. ; Lester, L.F.
Author_Institution :
Center for High Technol. Mater., Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Abstract :
Generation of tunable millimeter-wave (MMW) and terahertz (THz) signals is experimentally demonstrated with an optically injected 1310-nm quantum dot distributed feedback (QD DFB) laser. A novel technique for MMW and THz signal generation is proposed, which is based on the dual-mode laser operation and the four-wave mixing induced in the QD DFB under single-beam optical injection into one of its residual Fabry-Perot modes. Coarse and fine tunability of the MMW and THz signals from 117 to 954 GHz is also demonstrated by injecting the external light into different residual modes of the QD laser and by controlling the injection strength and the initial frequency detuning.
Keywords :
distributed feedback lasers; laser modes; laser tuning; microwave photonics; millimetre wave generation; multiwave mixing; optical pulse generation; quantum dot lasers; terahertz wave generation; MMW generation; QD DFB laser; THz signals; coarse tunability; dual-mode laser operation; external light; fine tunability; four-wave mixing; frequency 117 GHz to 954 GHz; initial frequency detuning; injection strength; optically injected quantum dot distributed feedback laser; residual Fabry-Perot modes; single-beam optical injection; terahertz signal generation; tunable millimeter-wave generation; wavelength 1310 nm; Laser modes; Optical attenuators; Optical mixing; Optical reflection; Quantum dot lasers; Semiconductor lasers; THz; millimeter-wave; quantum dot lasers; signal generation;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Journal, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/JPHOT.2013.2267535
