Variable gain operation of a gain-clamped sampled grating laser amplifier

Summary form only given. Proposes a scheme to enable an electrically controllable output from a gain clamped amplifier using independent electrodes for the gain-clamped oscillation and electrodes for defining the cavity gain through the tuning of the grating sections. Tuning the grating sections therefore alters the threshold gain condition to allow direct electrical control of the signal band gain. Monotonic power control over 14 dB has been demonstrated by tuning one grating in an unoptimised sampled grating laser to demonstrate the feasibility and principle of variable gain-clamped operation.