Michael A. Newkirk

A 16*1 wavelength division multiplexer with integrated distributed Bragg reflector lasers and electroabsorption modulators

The integrated operation of a 16*1 wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) source with distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers and electroabsorption modulators has been demonstrated. By using repeated holographic exposures and wet chemical etching, 16 different wavelengths from 1.544 to 1.553 mu m with an average channel spacing of 6 AA are obtained. A high-performance combiner is used to obtain a very uniform coupling into the single-output waveguide, and with the integration of an optical amplifier an average optical power of -8 dBm per channel is coupled into a single-mode fiber.<<ETX>>

Efficiency of broadband four-wave mixing wavelength conversion using semiconductor traveling-wave amplifiers

We present a theoretical analysis and experimental measurements of broadband optical wavelength conversion by four-wave mixing in semiconductor traveling-wave amplifiers. In the theoretical analysis, we obtain an analytical expression for the conversion efficiency. In the experiments, both up and down-conversion efficiencies are measured as a function of wavelength shift for shifts up to 27 nm. The experimental data are well explained by the theoretical calculation. The observed higher conversion efficiency for wavelength down-conversion is believed to be caused by phase interferences that exist between various mechanisms contributing to the four-wave mixing process.<<ETX>>

Four-wave mixing wavelength conversion efficiency in semiconductor traveling-wave amplifiers measured to 65 nm of wavelength shift

The efficiency of broadband optical wavelength conversion by four-wave mixing in semiconductor traveling-wave amplifiers is measured for wavelength shifts up to 65 nm using a tandem amplifier geometry. A quantity we call the relative conversion efficiency function, which determines the strength of the four-wave mixing nonlinearity, was extracted from the data. Using this quantity, gain requirements for lossless four-wave mixing wavelength conversion are calculated and discussed. Signal to background noise ratio is also measured and discussed in this study.<<ETX>>

1.5 mu m multiquantum-well semiconductor optical amplifier with tensile and compressively strained wells for polarization-independent gain

A multiquantum-well optical amplifier for 1.5- mu m wavelength operation using alternating tensile and compressively strained wells in the active region is described. For each bias level measured, the polarization sensitivity of the amplifier gain is 1 dB or less averaged over the gain bandwidth. This amplifier is suitable for integration with other optical devices in photonic integrated circuits which require polarization-independent gain.<<ETX>>

The optical gain lever: A novel gain mechanism in the direct modulation of quantum well semiconductor lasers

A new gain mechanism active in certain quantum well laser diode structures is demonstrated and explained theoretically. It enhances the modulation amplitude produced by either optical or electrical modulation of quantum well structures. In the devices tested, power gains of 6 dB were measured from low frequency to frequencies of several gigahertz. Higher gains may be possible in optimized structures.

Terahertz four-wave mixing spectroscopy for study of ultrafast dynamics in a semiconductor optical amplifier

Ultrafast dynamics in a 1.5‐μm tensile‐strained quantum‐well optical amplifier has been studied by highly nondegenerate four‐wave mixing at detuning frequencies up to 1.7 THz. Frequency response data indicate the presence of two ultrafast physical processes with characteristic relaxation lifetimes of 650 fs and <100 fs. The longer time constant is believed to be associated with the dynamic carrier heating effect. This is in agreement with previous time‐domain pump‐probe measurements using ultrashort optical pulses.

A DBR laser tunable by resistive heating

A distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser tuned by resistive heating is presented. It has a tuning range greater than 10 nm with only a 33% reduction in output power and a 10% increase in linewidth. Its behavior is easily modeled, agreeing well with simple theory.<<ETX>>

2.5 Gb/s transmission over 674 km at multiple wavelengths using a tunable DBR laser with an integrated electroabsorption modulator

We present a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser/modulator photonic integrated circuit capable of transmission over 674 km of conventional fiber at 2.5 Gb/s. Transmission was performed at four wavelengths over a range of >4 nm. The bit error rate (BER) sensitivity achieved at each wavelength varied by less than 1.1 dB. These results produce a record bit rate-distance product at each wavelength of 1.7 Tb.km/s for monolithic transmitters through nondispersion shifted fiber. Such devices are ideal sources for multichannel wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) transmission systems.<<ETX>>

8-wavelength DBR laser array fabricated with a single-step Bragg grating printing technique

An 8-wavelength distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) array for narrow channel wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) has been fabricated with a new technique for printing first-order Bragg gratings using a phase mask and a conventional incoherent source. All the distributed gratings were printed in a single photolithographic step with a slightly modified mask aligner. The DBRs excellent wavelength control for channels separated by as little as 0.8 nm is described. Many advanced photonic devices relying on gratings like quarter-wave shifted distributed feedback (DFB) lasers and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) components can potentially be manufactured with this technique in a simple and cost-effective way.<<ETX>>

Parasitic‐free measurement of the fundamental frequency response of a semiconductor laser by active‐layer photomixing

We report the measurement of the fundamental (intrinsic) frequency response of a GaAs semiconductor laser to 12 GHz by directly photomixing two optical sources in the active region of the laser. This novel technique reveals the underlying fundamental frequency response of the device as parasitic effects are avoided. Well beyond the relaxation resonance, the theoretically predicted 40 dB/dec signal rolloff is observed. Other features of the measured response function are also observed to be the theoretical ideal.