Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Introduction and preface
- 1 Figures of merit and performance analysis of photonic microwave links
- 2 RF subcarrier links in local access networks
- 3 Analog modulation of semiconductor lasers
- 4 LiNbO3 external modulators and their use in high performance analog links
- 5 Broadband traveling wave modulators in LiNb03
- 6 Multiple quantum well electroabsorption modulators for RF photonic links
- 7 Polymer modulators for RF photonics
- 8 Photodiodes for high performance analog links
- 9 Opto-electronic oscillators
- 10 Photonic link techniques for microwave frequency conversion
- 11 Antenna-coupled millimeter-wave electro-optical modulators
- 12 System design and performance of wideband photonic phased array antennas
- Index
- References
3 - Analog modulation of semiconductor lasers
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 July 2010
Edited by
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Introduction and preface
- 1 Figures of merit and performance analysis of photonic microwave links
- 2 RF subcarrier links in local access networks
- 3 Analog modulation of semiconductor lasers
- 4 LiNbO3 external modulators and their use in high performance analog links
- 5 Broadband traveling wave modulators in LiNb03
- 6 Multiple quantum well electroabsorption modulators for RF photonic links
- 7 Polymer modulators for RF photonics
- 8 Photodiodes for high performance analog links
- 9 Opto-electronic oscillators
- 10 Photonic link techniques for microwave frequency conversion
- 11 Antenna-coupled millimeter-wave electro-optical modulators
- 12 System design and performance of wideband photonic phased array antennas
- Index
- References
Summary
Introduction
The laser is one of the most important elements in fiber optic links since it generates the coherent optical wave that carries the signal. Typical laser wavelengths are 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm corresponding to the dispersion and absorption minimum, respectively, of silica fibers. The laser frequency is about 200 THz and the RF (10 kHz-300 MHz) or microwave (300 MHz-300 GHz) signal can be modulated onto the laser beam either directly or externally. This chapter focuses on direct modulation. It is simpler to implement than external modulation but the usable bandwidth is limited to a few GHz. Applications of direct analog laser modulation include cable TV, base station links for mobile communication, and antenna remoting. Laser performance requirements include high slope efficiency to obtain high link gain, low laser noise to keep the link noise figure low, and low distortion to achieve a large spurious free dynamic range (SFDR).
Section 3.2 outlines basic physical mechanisms of semiconductor lasers. We emphasize the quantum nature of electrons and photons which helps to understand efficiency and noise issues. The slope efficiency is discussed in detail. Section 3.3 presents the laser rate equations which are the common basis for the analysis of analog performance. Numerical solutions to the rate equations allow for an exploration of a wide spectrum of lasing effects. However, analytical formulas based on the small signal approximation are valid in many cases and they are given throughout this chapter.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- RF Photonic Technology in Optical Fiber Links , pp. 57 - 80Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2002
References
E. I. Ackerman, C. H. Cox III,III and N. A. Riza (eds.), Selected Papers on Analog Fiber-Optic Links, SPIE Milestone Series, vol. 149, Bellingham, 1998
S. L. Chuang, Physics of Optoelectronic Devices, Wiley & Sons, New York, 1995
, , , , , and , “Transport limits in high-speed quantum-well lasers: experiment and theory,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., 4 (2), 121–3, 1992CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, “Design and optimization of strained-layer-multiquantum-well lasers for high-speed analog communication,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 30, 1520–7, 1994CrossRefGoogle Scholar
C. Wilmsen, H. Temkin, and L. A Coldren (eds.), Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers, Cambridge University Press, 1999
L. A. Coldren and S. W. Corzine, Diode Lasers and Photonic Integrated Circuits, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1995
, , and , “Carrier non-uniformity effects on the internal efficiency of multi-quantum-well laser diodes,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 74 (4), 489–91, 1999CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , , , and , “Wide temperature range linear DFB lasers with very low threshold current,” Electron. Lett., 33, 963–4, 1997CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , , , and , “57% wallplug efficiency oxide-confined 850nm wavelength GaAs VCSELs,” Electron. Lett., 33, 330–1, 1997CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , , , , , and , “64 °C continuous-wave operation of 1.5 μm vertical-cavity laser,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron., 3, 359–65, 1997CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , , and , “Uniform threshold current, continuous-wave, singlemode 1300nm vertical cavity lasers from 0 to 70 °C,” Electron. Lett., 34, 1405–6, 1998CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and , “Intervalence band absorption coefficient measurements in bulk layer, strain and unstrained multiquantum well 1.55 μm semiconductor lasers,” Electron. Lett., 29 (7), 604–6, 1993CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and , “On carrier injection and gain dynamics in quantum well lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 29 (6), 1586–93, 1993CrossRefGoogle Scholar
J. Carroll, J. Whiteaway, and D. Plumb, Distributed Feedback Semiconductor Lasers, IEE/SPIE Press, London/Washington, 1998
G. Morthier and P. Vankwikelberge, Handbook of Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes, Artech House, Norwood, 1997
K. Petermann, Laser Diode Modulation and Noise, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 1988
G. H. B. Thompson, Physics of Semiconductor Laser Devices, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1980
K. Y. Lau and A. Yariv, “High-frequency current modulation of semiconductor injection lasers,” Ch. 2 in Semiconductors and Semimetals, vol. 22, Academic Press, Orlando, 1985
, , , , and , “The intrinsic equivalent circuit of a laser diode,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 17 (1), 4–7, 1981CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , and , “Noise equivalent circuit of a semiconductor laser diode,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 18 (3), 333–7, 1982CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, “A note on the semiconductor laser equivalent circuit,” J. Appl. Phys., 85 (4), 2041–5, 1999CrossRefGoogle Scholar
K. Y. Lau, “Dynamics in quantum well lasers,” Ch. 5 in Quantum Well Lasers, ed. P. S. Zory, Academic Press, San Diego, 1993
J. E. Bowers, “Modulation properties of semiconductor lasers,” in Optoelectronics for the Information Age, ed. C. Lin, Van Nostrand, New York, 1989
and , “A 20 GHz bandwidth InGaAsPΓInP MTBH laser module,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., 5 (2), 123–6, 1993CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and , “Broad-band reactive matching of high-speed directly modulated laser diodes,” IEEE Microwave & Guided Wave Lett., 3 (9), 336–8, 1993CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , , and , “30 GHz direct modulation bandwidth in detuned loaded InGaAsP DBR lasers at 1.55 μm wavelength,” Electron. Lett., 33, 488–9, 1997CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , , and , “High-frequency modulation of oxide-confined vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers,” Electron. Lett., 32, 457–8, 1996CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , and , “Modulation response measurement and evaluation of MQW InGaAsP lasers of various design,” Proc., SPIE, 2687, 138–52, 1996CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , and , “Large and small dynamics of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 62, 325–7, 1993CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, “High speed semiconductor laser design and performance,” Solid State Electron., 30, 1–11, 1987CrossRefGoogle Scholar
K. Kishino, “Direct modulation of semiconductor lasers,” in Handbook of Semiconductor Lasers and Photonic Integrated Circuits, eds. Y. Suematsu and A. R. Adams, Chapman & Hall, London, 1994
and , “High-impedance suppression of pump fluctuation and amplitude squeezing in semiconductor lasers,” Phys. Rev. A, 35 (12), 5114–30, 1987CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
and , “Numerical analysis of feedback regimes for a single-mode semiconductor laser with external feedback,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 24 (7), 1242–7, 1988CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and , “Very high-power InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback lasers at 1.55 μm wavelength,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 72, 1269–71, 1998CrossRefGoogle Scholar
C. H. Cox, “Optical transmitters,” in The Electronics Handbook, ed. J. C. Whitaker, CRC Press & IEEE Press, 1996
, , , and , “Effect of optical feedback on high-dynamic-range Fabry–Perot laser optical links,” IEEE Photon Technol. Lett., 9, 106–8, 1997CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , , , , and , “Polarization-controlled single-mode VCSEL,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 34 (6), 1009–15, 1998CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , , , , and , “Reflection noise in vertical cavity surface emitting lasers,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 63, 1480–2, 1993CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and , “Measurement and modeling of the harmonic distortion in InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 26, 998–1004, 1990CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , and , “Theoretical investigation of the second-order harmonic distortion in the AM response of 1.55 μm FP and DFB lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 27, 1990–2002, 1991CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, “Influence of the carrier density dependence of the absorption on the harmonic distortion in semiconductor lasers,” J. Lightwave Technol., 11, 16–19, 1993CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and , “Fundamental limits for linearity of CATV lasers,” J. Lightwave Technol., 13, 252–60, 1995CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , , , , and , “Distributed feedback laser diode and module for CATV systems,” J. Select. Areas Commun., 8, 1359–64, 1990CrossRefGoogle Scholar
J. Chen, R. Ram, and R. Helkey, “Linearity and third order intermodulation distortion in DFB semiconductor lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 1999
and , “Intermodulation distortion in a directly modulated semiconductor injection laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 45 (10), 1034–6, 1984CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and , “An alternative model for laser clipping-induced nonlinear distortion for analog lightwave CATV systems,” IEEE Photon Technol. Lett., 4 (7), 784–7, 1992CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and , “Intermodulation and harmonic distortion in InGaAsP lasers,” Electron. Lett., 21 (16), 665–6, 1985CrossRefGoogle Scholar
T. E. Darcie, R. S. Tucker, and G. J. Sullivan, (correction in Electron. Lett., 22 (11), 619, 1986)
H. Lee, R. V. Dalal, R. J. Ram, and K D. Choquette, “Resonant distortion in vertical cavity surface emitting lasers for RF communication,” Optical Fiber Conference, Paper FE1, Digest F, pp. 84–6, Optical Society of America, Washington, 1999
J. Piprek, K. Takiguchi, A. Black, P. Abraham, A. Keating, V. Kaman, S. Zhang, and J. E. Bowers, “Analog modulation of 1.55 μm vertical cavity lasers,” Proc. SPIE, 3627, Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers III, eds. K. D. Choquette and C. Lei, 1999
, , , and , “Techniques and performance of intensity-modulation direct-detection analog optical links,” IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., 45 (8), 1375–83, 1997CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , and , “Low distortion analogue signal transmission using vertical cavity lasers,” Electron. Lett., 34, 1590–1, 1998CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and , “Analog measurements of long wavelength vertical cavity lasers,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 72, 2084–6, 1998CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and , “Nature of wavelength chirping in directly modulated semiconductor lasers,” Electron. Lett., 20 (25–26), 1038–40, 1984CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , and , “Direct frequency modulation in AlGaAs semiconductor lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 18 (4), 582–95, 1982CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, “Coherent optical fiber transmission,” J. Lightwave Technol., 5 (4) 414–28, 1987CrossRefGoogle Scholar
and , “Optical frequency modulation links: theory and experiments,” IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., 45 (4), 505–11, 1997Google Scholar
Fujitsu 1.3 μm DFB laser with bulk active region, R. Ram, personal communication
- 6
- Cited by