Extension of the direct modulation bandwidth of semiconductor laser diodes

Semiconductor laser diodes with wide direct modulation bandwidth represent essential devices to fulfill the continuously increasing need for low-cost optical communications systems with high bit-rate. The maximum bit-rate achieved by direct modulated lasers is typically limited by the resonance carriers and photons. However, in properly designed laser cavities, the interaction of two longitudinal cavity modes lead to a significant increase in the -3dB frequency of the laser small signal modulation response. This effect is usually called "photon-photon resonance" and can therefore significantly increase the modulation bandwidth of a laser diode.  In the last years, we developed robust and general numerical tools for the design and simulation of laser sources exploiting this effect to efficiently increase their direct modulation bandwidth. Our design techniques have been successfully applied to DBR lasers, CCIG lasers, Integrated- feedback lasers, push-pull lasers, etc; for all the mentioned configurations it was possible to find clearly open eye diagrams for modulation frequencies up to 50 Gbit/s.

ERC Sector:

  • PE7_3 Simulation engineering and modelling
  • PE7_5 (Micro and nano) electronic, optoelectronic and photonic components

Keywords:

  • Semiconductor lasers
  • Modulation
  • Simulation
  • Photon resonance
  • Laser

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