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IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

Analysis of a multistable semiconductor light amplifier

Kenju Otsuka, H. Iwamura

Published Jul 1, 1983• 60 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A multistable operation in semiconductor laser amplifiers, based upon the carrier density dependence of the active region refractive index, is proposed. Simple analytical expressions describing the optical multistability are given, using the so-called antiguidance factor, which is the ratio of the decrease in the real refractive index to the increase in the imaginary refractive index.

DOI
10.1109/jqe.1983.1072006

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IEE Proceedings J Optoelectronics•Jan 1, 1985•45 citations
A multistable operation in semiconductor laser amplifiers, based upon the carrier density dependence of the active region refractive index, is proposed. Simple analytical expressions describing the optical multistability are given, using the so-called antiguidance factor, which is the ratio of the decrease in the real refractive index to the increase in the imaginary refractive index.
Dispersive bistability arising from the carrier-dependence of the refractive index has been observed in semiconductor lasers operated just below threshold with a small injected optical signal. The minimum optical input required for switch-up is as low as 1 μW for InGaAsP amplifiers at 1.55 μm(1) and 1.3 μm(2) (cf 30 μW for GaAs devices(3)). As yet, reliable measurements of the dynamic response are not (4) available, although we predict recovery times to be on the order of carrier lifetimes, ie a few nanoseconds at room temperature. This contribution will review our experimental and theoretical work on 1.55 μm amplifier bistability and set it in the context of other semiconductor bistable optical devices.
A comparison is presented between optical bistability in laser amplifiers and in passive Fabry-Perot cavities. The basis for comparison is afforded by a new analysis of optical amplifiers which encompasses the cases of passive refractive and absorptive bistability as special limiting cases. The results indicate that amplifiers have advantages of lower input intensity requirements (by a factor of 103) and reduced sensitivity to wavelength by comparison with passive cavities; experimental results indicate an input power of -30 dBm is required for active bistability. Facet coating requirements for active and passive optimum configurations are also discussed.
A time-dependent theory of optical bistability is developed and applied to laser amplifiers and passive semiconductor etalons. Results of the theory show an output intensity spike in switch-up which occurs after a time delay determined largely by the carrier recombination time, and before which the transition is unstable. Although for passive etalons the spike is rather broad (of order 1 ns for parameters appropriate to GaAs at 0.85 μm or InGaAsP at 1.55 μm) and of low amplitude, for amplifiers it is roughly an order of magnitude narrower and higher in amplitude. As a consequence, it is predicted that clock speeds for semiconductor bistable switching elements will be limited to rates commensurate with the carrier recombination time, not only for switch-down operations (as already well known) but also for switch-up operations.