Self-phase modulation coefficient of multiple-quantum-well optical amplifiers

Author

Tiemeijer, L.F. ; Thijs, P.J.A. ; Van Dongen, T. ; Binsma, J.J.M. ; Jansen, E.J.

Author_Institution

Philips Optoelectron. Center, Eindhoven, Netherlands

Volume

8

Issue

7

fYear

1996

fDate

7/1/1996 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

876

Lastpage

878

Abstract

The self-phase modulation coefficient /spl gamma/ of 1310 nm multiple-quantum-well (MQW) semiconductor optical amplifiers has been investigated. It is found to vary from 16/spl times/10/sup 4/ W/sup -1/ m/sup -1/ for low driving conditions to 3/spl times/10/sup 4/ W/sup -1/ m/sup -1/ for high-driving conditions. This implies that the amount of self-phase modulation occurring in the amplifier is between 1.5-10/spl times/ more than that occurring in the optical fiber following the amplifier. The additional self-phase modulation caused by the semiconductor optical amplifier may be used to achieve compensation for fiber dispersion in optical communication systems at significantly lower average power levels. The linewidth enhancement factor /spl alpha//sub H/ was found to increase from a value of 2 at low driving conditions, in agreement with results reported for MQW lasers, to a value of 3 at high-driving conditions.

Keywords

nonlinear optics; optical communication equipment; optical fibre dispersion; optical modulation; phase modulation; quantum well lasers; spectral line breadth; 1310 nm; MQW semiconductor optical amplifiers; average power levels; fiber dispersion compensation; high-driving conditions; linewidth enhancement factor; low driving conditions; multiple-quantum-well optical amplifiers; optical communication systems; optical fiber; self-phase modulation coefficient; Fiber nonlinear optics; Nonlinear optics; Optical amplifiers; Optical fiber amplifiers; Optical fiber communication; Optical fibers; Optical modulation; Quantum well devices; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.502256

Filename

502256