Tunable vertical-cavity SOAs: a unique combination of tunable filtering and optical gain

Garrett D. Cole

doi:10.1117/12.634413

25 October 2005 Tunable vertical-cavity SOAs: a unique combination of tunable filtering and optical gain

Garrett D. Cole

Proceedings Volume 6013, Optoelectronic Devices: Physics, Fabrication, and Application II; 601309 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.634413
Event: Optics East 2005, 2005, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

In this paper the design and performance of novel micromechanically-tunable vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers (VCSOAs) are presented. Theoretical design issues include overviews of the signal gain, wavelength tuning characteristics, saturation properties, and noise figure of these unique devices. Using general Fabry-Perot relationships it is possible to model both the wavelength tuning characteristics and the peak signal gain of tunable VCSOAs, while amplifier rate equations are used to describe the saturation and noise properties. It is found that these devices follow many of the same design trends as fixed-wavelength VCSOAs. However, with tunable devices, the tuning mechanism is found to result in varying amplifier properties over the wavelength span of the device. Experimental results for three generations of devices are given. The culmination of this work is a new bottom-emitting design in which the optical cavity is inverted and the MEMS-tuning structure serves as the high-reflectivity back mirror. By suppressing the variation in mirror reflectance with tuning, this configuration exhibits a two-fold increase in the effective tuning range as compared with our initial devices-with a minimum of 5 dB fiber-to-fiber gain (12 dB on-chip gain) over a wavelength span of roughly 21 nm, from 1557.36 nm to 1536.43 nm. Furthermore, these devices exhibit saturation, bandwidth and noise properties similar to state-of-the-art fixed-wavelength VCSOAs, including a fiber-coupled saturation output power of -1.36 dBm and an average gain bandwidth and noise figure of 65.2 GHz and 7.48 dB.

Citation Download Citation

Garrett D. Cole "Tunable vertical-cavity SOAs: a unique combination of tunable filtering and optical gain", Proc. SPIE 6013, Optoelectronic Devices: Physics, Fabrication, and Application II, 601309 (25 October 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.634413

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available