Systematic investigation of the alpha parameter influence on the critical feedback level in QD lasers

F. Grillot; N. A. Naderi; M. Pochet; C.-Y. Lin; L. F. Lester

doi:10.1117/12.809664

24 February 2009 Systematic investigation of the alpha parameter influence on the critical feedback level in QD lasers

F. Grillot, N. A. Naderi, M. Pochet, C.-Y. Lin, L. F. Lester

Proceedings Volume 7211, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVII; 721108 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.809664
Event: SPIE OPTO: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices, 2009, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The dramatic variation in the linewidth enhancement factor (α_Η-factor) that has been reported for quantum dot lasers makes them an interesting subject for optical feedback studies. A low α_Η-factor combined with a high damping factor is especially interesting because it should increase the tolerance to optical feedback in these devices and may offer potential advantages for direct modulation. In the particular case of QD lasers, the carrier density is not clearly clamped at threshold. The lasing wavelength can switch from the ground state (GS) to the excited state (ES) as the current injection increases meaning that a carrier accumulation occurs in the ES even though lasing in the GS is still occurring. The filling of the ES inevitably enhances the α_Η-factor of the GS above threshold as experimentally and numerically shown. Consequently, this strong variation of the GS α_Η-factor in comparison to QW devices, should theoretically produce a significant variation in the onset of coherence collapse due to feedback. This coherence collapse regime, in which the laser is subject to instabilities, is incompatible with data transmission because of the induced high bit-error rate. One method to investigate the tolerance to optical feedback is to compare experiment with the theoretical work introduced by Petermann. It will be presented that under specific conditions, i.e., in the case of a strong enhancement in the α_Η-factor, the feedback sensitivity of the laser can vary by as much as 10dB within the same device.

Citation Download Citation

F. Grillot, N. A. Naderi, M. Pochet, C.-Y. Lin, and L. F. Lester "Systematic investigation of the alpha parameter influence on the critical feedback level in QD lasers", Proc. SPIE 7211, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVII, 721108 (24 February 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.809664

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