Gain-switched GaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Author

Wiesenfeld, Jay M. ; Hasnain, Ghulam ; Perino, Joseph S. ; Wynn, J.D. ; Leibenguth, R.E. ; Wang, Yenog-Her ; Cho, Alfred Y.

Author_Institution

AT&T Bell Labs., Holmdel, NJ, USA

Volume

29

Issue

6

fYear

1993

fDate

6/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1996

Lastpage

2005

Abstract

The authors have gain-switched GaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) using sinusiodal electrical modulation at rates between 1.5 and 8 GHz and devices with operating wavelengths between 820 and 860 nm. The shortest pulse obtained directly from such lasers was 24 ps. The time-bandwidth products were between 0.6 and 3, which is smaller than those observed for gain-switched, single-frequency, edge-emitting lasers. Some of the excess bandwidth is caused by linear chirp, which was compensated using linear dispersion in single-mode optical fiber. The shortest compressed pulse was 15 ps. The pulses contained significant nonlinear chirp, however, which reduced the expected compression factor for linear dispersion to a factor of 2. The timing jitter for gain-switched pulse trains was 4-6 ps, which is comparable to that observed for the edge-emitting lasers. Device design tradeoffs which affect the duration of the pulses from gain-switched VCSELs are discussed

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; high-speed optical techniques; optical switches; semiconductor lasers; 1.5 to 8 GHz; 15 ps; 24 ps; 820 to 860 nm; GaAs; compression factor; edge-emitting lasers; excess bandwidth; gain switched lasers; gain-switched pulse trains; linear chirp; linear dispersion; nonlinear chirp; single-mode optical fiber; sinusiodal electrical modulation; time-bandwidth products; timing jitter; vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers; Chirp; Fiber lasers; Gallium arsenide; Optical fiber dispersion; Optical pulses; Optical surface waves; Pulse compression methods; Surface emitting lasers; Surface waves; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.234462

Filename

234462