William K. Marshall

Supermode control in diffraction‐coupled semiconductor laser arrays

Supermode control is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally in diffraction‐coupled semiconductor laser arrays. A linear theory is presented to determine the supermode threshold gain as a function of the coupling cavity length. By fabricating devices with different coupling cavity lengths, array operation in both the fundamental and highest order supermodes is achieved.

Improved laser modulation response by frequency modulation to amplitude modulation conversion in transmission through a fiber grating

We have demonstrated that transmission through a fiber grating can increase the system response of a directly modulated semiconductor laser by over 7 dB at all modulation frequencies up to 25 GHz. When combined with dispersive optical fiber, the grating produced a system response that was larger, flatter, and had a larger bandwidth, providing a frequency-domain demonstration of dispersion compensation through an unchirped grating. The effect can be understood as frequency modulation to amplitude modulation conversion by the grating, and was accurately predicted by a Fourier domain analysis of the laser signal and grating.

Spectrum of the intensity of modulated noisy light after propagation in dispersive fiber

The spectral density of the optical intensity which results after modulated noisy light is propagated in dispersive single-mode fiber is investigated theoretically and experimentally. An exact general result is obtained for the case of lowest-order-only group velocity dispersion and is applied to light from a 1550-nm distributed-feedback semiconductor laser which is large-signal phase modulated and then propagated through 50 km of standard single-mode fiber. Experimental results demonstrate the effect of dispersion on the intensity spectrum (and thus, on lightwave system characteristics such as modulation response, relative intensity noise, carrier-to-noise ratio, and harmonic distortion) in this situation and provide confirmation of the theoretical results.

Precise measurement of semiconductor laser chirp using effect of propagation in dispersive fiber and application to simulation of transmission through fiber gratings

Measurements of small-signal intensity modulation from direct-modulated distributed feedback (DFB) semiconductor lasers after propagation in dispersive fiber have previously been used to extract intrinsic laser chirp parameters such as linewidth enhancement factor and crossover frequency. Here, we demonstrate that the simple rate equations do not satisfactorily account for the frequency response of real DFB lasers and describe some experimental techniques that conveniently determiner the precise laser chirp. Implications for simulation of high-speed lightwave systems are also considered.

Reduction of relative intensity noise of the output field of semiconductor lasers due to propagation in dispersive optical fiber

The effect of dispersive, linear propagation (e.g., in single‐mode optical fiber) on the intensity noise from semiconductor lasers is investigated. Relations between the frequency and amplitude noise variations of semiconductor lasers are obtained from the laser rate equations and used to calculate the change in the relative intensity noise (RIN) spectrum that occurs during dispersive propagation. Propagation in fiber with positive dispersion (D≳0) over moderate distances (several km for standard single‐mode fiber at 1.55 μm) is found to reduce the RIN over a wide range of frequencies. Measurements with a 1.56 μm distributed feedback laser confirm the main theoretical results and demonstrate reductions in RIN of up to 11 dB with 4 km of standard fiber.

Optical phase characterization of active semiconductor microdisk resonators in transmission

The optical phase characteristics of an indium phosphide (InP) vertically coupled microdisk were experimentally demonstrated. Overcoming the material losses by injecting current into the active quantum well microdisk layer has allowed us to observe the phase behavior in all three coupling regimes. The ability to tune the resonant wavelength of this device makes it suitable for use as a phase modulator or tunable optical delay element.

Statistical determination of the length dependence of high-order polarization mode dispersion

We describe a method of characterizing high-order polarization mode dispersion (PMD). Using a new expansion to approximate the Jones matrix of a polarization-dispersive medium, we study the length dependence of high-order PMD to the fourth order. A simple rule for the asymptotic behavior of PMD for short and long fibers is found. It is also shown that, in long fibers (~1000 km), at 40 Gbits/s the third- and fourth-order PMD may become comparable to the second-order PMD.

Effect of transmission through fiber gratings on semiconductor laser intensity noise

The effect of transmission through a fiber Bragg grating on the relative intensity noise of semiconductor laser light is investigated. We first present a model of the grating as a linear frequency discriminator that exchanges correlated power between frequency noise and intensity noise caused by spontaneous emission. This correctly explains observed increases in intensity noise of up to 30 dB at low frequencies, obeying an inverse-square frequency dependence. Next, we show that there exist conditions under which a grating can reduce intensity noise and that these are determined by the phase relationship between correlated intensity and frequency fluctuations. Finally, we demonstrate a 2 dB reduction of intensity noise at frequencies up to 15 GHz, and present a numerical calculation based on the complex transmittance of the grating that correctly describes the effect of grating dispersion.

Waveguide PIN junction electrooptic phase modulators: theoretical analysis and design criteria

Basic design equations for waveguide PIN heterojunction electrooptic phase modulators utilizing the linear electrooptic effect are derived, and criteria for optimum operation (in terms of obtainable phase shifts) are discussed. Although the numerical examples pertain to devices fabricated of the AlGaAs system on (100) substrates, the same method can be directly applied to modulators fabricated of other materials.

Effect of many weak side modes on relative intensity noise of distributed feedback semiconductor lasers

An increase of the relative intensity noise of nearly single-mode distributed feedback lasers with respect to that predicted by single-mode theory after propagation in dispersive fiber at frequencies up to 5 Ghz has been measured. A simplified multimode theory is presented which explains the increase in noise.