Numerical modeling of mode-locking stability and repetition rate transitions in monolithic multi-section semiconductor lasers

Martin Birkholz; Julien Javaloyes; Oleg Nikiforov; Christoph Weber; Luke F. Lester; Stefan Breuer

doi:10.1117/12.2307353

19 June 2018 Numerical modeling of mode-locking stability and repetition rate transitions in monolithic multi-section semiconductor lasers

Martin Birkholz, Julien Javaloyes, Oleg Nikiforov, Christoph Weber, Luke F. Lester, Stefan Breuer

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10682, Semiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics VIII; 106821Y (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2307353
Event: SPIE Photonics Europe, 2018, Strasbourg, France

Abstract

Passively mode-locked lasers are compact photonic sources delivering high-repetition rate (RR) pulse trains and picosecond short optical pulses. An excellent stability of the generated optical pulse train is crucially important towards their application in optical communications,¹ optical sampling² or as photonic clocks.³Controlled RR transitions in a multi-section monolithic quantum-dot (QD) laser have been experimentally demonstrated by a reconfigurable absorber placement⁴ or a double-interval technique.⁵ In this contribution, we study the optical pulse train stability improvement and higher harmonic RR transitions in a monolithic semiconductor laser with interdigital absorber placement by the simulation tool FreeTWM.⁶ The laser under investigation is 4 mm long, corresponding to a fundamental RR of 10 GHz, and consists of 2 gain and 2 absorber sections. All gain sections are biased with the same current density and the absorber sections are equally reverse biased. The total absorber lengths contribute with 10 % to the total cavity length. One absorber is placed at the high reflective facet, the second at 1/3 of the total cavity length with one gain section in between and the second gain section following the second absorber. Numerically transitions from fundamental mode-locking (n=1; 10 GHz) to higher harmonic mode-locking (n=3; 30 GHz) occur by increasing the injected current density using numerical continuation. Associated with that transition is an improved timing stability by a factor of 333. Simulations confirm experimental results obtained by timing stability and RR transition studies.

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Martin Birkholz, Julien Javaloyes, Oleg Nikiforov, Christoph Weber, Luke F. Lester, and Stefan Breuer "Numerical modeling of mode-locking stability and repetition rate transitions in monolithic multi-section semiconductor lasers", Proc. SPIE 10682, Semiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics VIII, 106821Y (19 June 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2307353

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KEYWORDS

Semiconductor lasers

Mode locking

Optical simulations

Laser stabilization

Picosecond phenomena

Polarization

Pulsed laser operation

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