Query: Nonlinear semiconductor lasers and amplifiers for all-optical information processing

Candidate papers:

abstract: The nonlinear properties of semiconductor lasers and laser amplifiers when subject to optical injection are reviewed and new results are presented for multisection lasers, vertical cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers, and surface emitting lasers. The main underlying material parameters are outlined and the key design approaches are discussed for both edge emitting and vertical cavity devices. An overview of theoretical modeling approaches is discussed and a summary of key experimental results is presented. The practical use of optically injected edge emitting and vertical cavity semiconductor lasers and laser amplifiers is illustrated with examples of applications including, among others, optical logic and chaotic communication.
author_names: Michael J Adams

Antonio Hurtado

Dmitry Labukhin

Ian D Henning
title: Nonlinear semiconductor lasers and amplifiers for all optical information processing.
venue: Chaos
year: 2010

abstract: Amplification of ultrashort optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers is shown to result in considerable spectral broadening and distortion as a result of the nonlinear phenomenon of self phase modulation (SPM) The physical mechanism behind SPM is gain saturation, which leads to intensity dependent changes in the refractive index in response to variations in the carrier density. The effect of the shape and the initial frequency chirp of input pulses on the shape and the spectrum of amplified pulses is discussed in detail. Particular attention is paid to the case in which the input pulsewidth is comparable to the carrier lifetime so that the saturated gain has time to recover partially before the trailing edge of the pulse arrives. The experimental results, performed by using picosecond input pulses from a 1.52 mu m mode locked semiconductor laser, are in agreement with the theory. When the amplified pulse is passed through a fiber, it is initially compressed because of the frequency chirp imposed on it by the amplifier. This feature can be used to compensate for fiber dispersion in optical communication systems.
author_names: Govind P Agrawal

Nils Anders Olsson
title: Self phase modulation and spectral broadening of optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers
year: 1989

abstract: Following a brief introduction to the applications for wavelength conversion and the different available conversion techniques, the paper gives an in depth analysis of cross gain and cross phase wavelength conversion in semiconductor optical amplifiers. The influence of saturation filtering on the bandwidth of the converters is explained and conditions for conversion at 20 Gb/s or more are identified. The cross gain modulation scheme shows extinction ratio degradation for conversion to longer wavelengths. This can be overcome using cross phase modulation in semiconductor optical amplifiers that are integrated into interferometric structures. The first results for monolithic integrated interferometric wavelength converters are reviewed, and the quality of the converted signals is demonstrated by transmission of 10 Gb/s converted signals over 60 km of nondispersion shifted single mode fiber.
author_names: Terji Durhuus

B Mikkelsen

C Joergensen

Soeren Lykke Danielsen

Kristian E Stubkjaer
title: All optical wavelength conversion by semiconductor optical amplifiers
year: 1996

abstract: Influences on the semiconductor laser properties of external optical feedback, i.e. return of a portion of the laser output from a reflector external to the laser cavity, have been examined. Experimental observations with a single mode laser is presented with analysis based on a compound cavity laser model, which has been found to explain essential features of the experimental results. In particular, it has been demonstrated that a laser with external feedback can be multistable and show hysteresis phenomena, analogous to those of non linear Fabry Perot resonator. It has also been shown that the dynamic properties of injection lasers are significantly affected by external feedback, depending on interference conditions between returned light and the field inside the laser diode.
author_names: R S Lang

Kohroh Kobayashi
title: External optical feedback effects on semiconductor injection laser properties
year: 1980

abstract: Simple two parameter formulas are presented for the functions involved in the amplitude phase and the quadrature nonlinear models of a TWT amplifier, and are shown to fit measured data very well. Also, a closed form expression is derived for the output signal of a TWT amplifier excited by two phase modulated carriers, and an expression containing a single integral is given when more than two such earriers are involved. Finally, a frequencydependent quadrature model is proposed whose parameters are obtainable from single tone measurements.
author_names: Adel A M Saleh
title: Frequency Independent and Frequency Dependent Nonlinear Models of TWT Amplifiers
venue: IEEE Trans. Commun.
year: 1981

abstract: Values up to gamma=7 x 10(6)(W km) for the nonlinear parameter are feasible if silicon on insulator based strip and slot waveguides are properly designed. This is more than three orders of magnitude larger than for state of the art highly nonlinear fibers, and it enables ultrafast all optical signal processing with nonresonant compact devices. At lambda=1.55 microm we provide universal design curves for strip and slot waveguides which are covered with different linear and nonlinear materials, and we calculate the resulting maximum gamma.
author_names: Christian Koos

L Jacome

Christopher G Poulton

J Leuthold

Wolfgang Freude
title: Nonlinear silicon on insulator waveguides for all optical signal processing.
venue: Optics express
year: 2007

abstract: Semiconductor optical amplifiers are useful building blocks for all optical gates as wavelength converters and OTDM demultiplexers. This paper reviews the progress from simple gates using cross gain modulation and four wave mixing to the integrated interferometric gates using cross phase modulation. These gates are very efficient for high speed signal processing and will open up interesting new areas, such as all optical regeneration and high speed all optical logic functions.
author_names: Kristian Stubkjaer
title: Semiconductor Optical Amplifier Based All Optical Gates for High Speed Optical Processing
year: 2010

abstract: This paper provides prospects and current status of quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) and their comparison with bulk and quantum well technology, based on our pioneering work covering the proposal of their promising features, subsequent experimental demonstrations, and the design of all optical quantum dot switching modules. The proposed promising features are diverse; high saturation power, high speed amplification up to 160 Gb/s under gain saturation without pattern effect, high speed cross gain modulation up to 160 Gb/s without pattern effect, multiple wavelength processing over broad gain spectra, and symmetric wavelength conversion by four wave mixing. The operation theory of quantum dot SOAs is provided in order to treat various aspects unique to quantum dots such as spatial localization, retarded carrier relaxation, and inhomogeneous and homogeneous broadening. Pattern effect free amplification at 10 40Gb/s, wavelength conversion by the cross gain modulation at 10 40Gb/s, and symmetric wavelength conversion by four wave mixing are experimentally demonstrated in 1.3 micron InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot SOAs. All optical quantum dot switching modules are proposed, which we expect to work in the next generation flexible all optical photonic networks.
author_names: Mitsuru Sugawara

Tomoyuki Akiyama

Nobuaki Hatori

Yoshiaki Nakata

Koji Otsubo

Hiroji Ebe
title: Quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifiers
venue: SPIE/OSA/IEEE Asia Communications and Photonics
year: 2002

abstract: Photonic circuits, in which beams of light redirect the flow of other beams of light, are a long standing goal for developing highly integrated optical communication components. Furthermore, it is highly desirable to use silicon the dominant material in the microelectronic industry as the platform for such circuits. Photonic structures that bend, split, couple and filter light have recently been demonstrated in silicon, but the flow of light in these structures is predetermined and cannot be readily modulated during operation. All optical switches and modulators have been demonstrated with III V compound semiconductors, but achieving the same in silicon is challenging owing to its relatively weak nonlinear optical properties. Indeed, all optical switching in silicon has only been achieved by using extremely high powers in large or non planar structures, where the modulated light is propagating out of plane. Such high powers, large dimensions and non planar geometries are inappropriate for effective on chip integration. Here we present the experimental demonstration of fast all optical switching on silicon using highly light confining structures to enhance the sensitivity of light to small changes in refractive index. The transmission of the structure can be modulated by up to 94% in less than 500 ps using light pulses with energies as low as 25 pJ. These results confirm the recent theoretical prediction of efficient optical switching in silicon using resonant structures.
author_names: Vilson R Almeida

Carlos Angulo Barrios

Roberto R Panepucci

Michal Lipson
title: All optical control of light on a silicon chip
venue: Nature
year: 2004

abstract: Basic Concepts Recombination Mechanisms and Gain Epitaxial Growth and Amplifier Designs Low Reflectivity Facet Designs Amplifier Rate Equations and Operating Characteristics Photonic Integrated Circuit Using Amplifiers Functional Properties and Applications Optical Logic Operations Optical Logic Circuits
author_names: Niloy K Dutta

Qiang Wang
title: Semiconductor optical amplifiers
year: 2006