Large linewidth reduction in semiconductor lasers based on atom-like gain material

Septon T, Becker A, Gosh S, Shtendel G, Sichkovskyi V, Schnabel F, Sengill A, Elica MB, Witzigmann B, Reithmaier JP, Eisenstein G (2019)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Optica Optical Society of America

Book Volume: 6

Pages Range: 1071-1077

Journal Issue: 8

DOI: 10.1364/OPTICA.6.001071

Abstract

With a new generation of quantum dot (QD) optical gain material comprising atom-like features, the fundamental spectral characteristics of laser emission have been improved significantly. We describe the spectral and power characteristics of continuous wave (CW) single-mode InAs/AlGaInAs/InP QD distributed feedback lasers operating at 1.5 μm. Linewidths as narrow as 60 kHz (30 kHz ± 10 kHz intrinsic linewidth) at 20°C, which broadens to only 280 kHz (80 kHz ± 10 kHz intrinsic linewidth) at 80°C, have been achieved. The laser exhibits high output powers of 58 mW at 20°C and 26 mW at 80°C with side mode suppression ratios exceeding 50 dB. These record values stem from high uniformity of the QDs and a large dot density. The linewidth was measured by two techniques that confirm each other: delayed self-heterodyne interferometry and optical frequency comb interferometry. A model fits the experimental results well and enables extraction of the bias and temperature dependent α parameter. At 20°C, α is less than 0.5 at threshold and increases to only 0.9 at 150 mA above threshold. The corresponding values at 80°C are 2 and 2.5. These results imply a great potential of QD lasers for the most demanding applications in terms of spectral purity, such as coherent optical communication systems and optical metrology.

Authors with CRIS profile

Bernd Witzigmann

Involved external institutions

Technion - Israel Institute of Technology IL Israel (IL) Universität Kassel DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Septon, T., Becker, A., Gosh, S., Shtendel, G., Sichkovskyi, V., Schnabel, F.,... Eisenstein, G. (2019). Large linewidth reduction in semiconductor lasers based on atom-like gain material. Optica, 6(8), 1071-1077. https://doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.6.001071

MLA:

Septon, Tali, et al. "Large linewidth reduction in semiconductor lasers based on atom-like gain material." Optica 6.8 (2019): 1071-1077.

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