© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

Journal of Lightwave Technology

All-optical bistable switching dynamics in 1.55-μm two-segment strained multiquantum-well distributed-feedback lasers

Jianying Zhou, Michael Čada, T. Makino

Published Jan 1, 1997• 9 citations

Abstract

All-optical bistable switching dynamics of 1.55-/spl mu/m two-segment strained multiquantum-well (MQW) distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers were systematically studied both experimentally and theoretically. Some fundamental optical functionalities, including all-optical set-reset (flip-flop) operations, were demonstrated. The switching responses of these bistable lasers were studied, for the first time, with optical injection from a single-mode DFB laser, indicating that the switching dynamics based on gain quenching and absorption saturation are inherently different. A theoretical model including optical injection was developed to study these all-optical bistable switching characteristics in segmented bistable lasers. It was found that the nonuniform distribution of the photon density in the bistable laser cavity induced by optical injection was essential to perform the time-domain switching operations. Simulations showed a good agreement with experimental observations and indicated design improvements. Although the switching responses in the range of tens of picoseconds can be obtained with these bistable lasers, the maximum repetition frequency of the bistable systems would still be limited to the hundreds of megahertz due to the slow carrier recovery time (5 ns) of the lasers.

DOI: 10.1109/50.554387

Related papers

Optical injection effects and all-optical set-reset operations in two-segment strained multiquantum-well distributed feedback bistable lasers

Jianying Zhou, Michael Čada, G. P. Li +1 more

Optical injection effects and all-optical set-reset operations in two-segment strained multiquantum-well (MQW) distributed feedback (DFB) bistable lasers were experimentally investigated. The optical bistable characteristics under detuned optical injection, of strained MQW DFB bistable lasers, show the effect of the residual Fabry–Perot side modes of the DFB structures; optimizing the input wavelength and the input power is suggested for applications. The switching properties of dynamic optical set-reset operations with pulsed optical injection were reported, which appear to be related to the optical bistable characteristics under cw optical injection; however, the switching transients are found to be essential to full understanding of these switching properties.

Journal of Applied Physics•Apr 15, 1996•3 citations

Time characteristics of bistable DFB amplifiers for all-optical switching

Riccardo A. Calvani, M. Calzavara, Renato Caponi

In all-optical switching systems bistable distributed-feedback (DFB) amplifiers are being used experimentally as memory cells and signal regenerators. In this frame a single section DFB amplifier (with one AR coated facet) operating around threshold at 1549 nm is pumped by a similar laser with a carefully controlled frequency detuning. The polarization controlled pump beam is modulated by a Mach-Zehnder switch (2.5 GHz bandwidth) to avoid source frequency chirp. The measurement of a pump reference and of the beam reflected from the amplifier is performed through a fiber directional coupler inserted between the two DFB diodes. Optical bistability has been observed both in transmission and in reflection for a sinewave modulated input in the 1-200 MHz frequency range. The output square wave exhibits up and down switching times lower than 1 ns and about 2 ns, respectively. The latter figure is consistent with the carrier recombination time in InGaAsP active structures, which is the main limit to the recovery time of bistable amplifiers. Work is in progress to investigate this feature in other types of amplifiers (e.g., multisection DFBs and quantum well structures).

Annual Meeting Optical Society of America•Jan 1, 1992•0 citations

Optical bistability and switching performance in QWS distributed coupling coefficient DFB SLA’s

Mohammad Saeed Tahvili, Mohammad Hossein Sheikhi

Optical bistability (OB) behavior in quarter-wave-shift (QWS) distributed coupling coefficient (DCC) distributed feedback (DFB) semiconductor laser amplifiers (SLApsilas) is investigated. The simulations are based on a modified transfer-matrix method, which considers grating non-uniformities along the structure as well as gain saturation effect. Switching characteristics, including structural dependence of OB in QWS DCC DFB SLApsilas is demonstrated in the steady state regime. Time-dependent analysis of OB is performed as well, and the dynamics of optical switching is demonstrated.

International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks•Jun 1, 2008•0 citations

Optical Bistability in 1.55 μm Semiconductor Laser Amplifiers

M.J. Adams, H.J. Westlake, M.J. O’Mahony

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.

Topical Meeting on Optical Bistability (OB)•Jan 1, 1985•0 citations

QUANTUM WELLS IN OPTOELECTRONICS: Absorptive bistability in inhomogeneously pumped quantum well laser diodes

I. Middlemast, Jayanta Sarma, K. Alan Shore +3 more

The purpose of this paper is to provide a study of optical bistability in inhomogeneously pumped multiquantum well (MQW) laser diodes. To achieve this aim, gain and spontaneous emission data, calculated for a specific MQW laser material structure, have been incorporated into a model of an inhomogeneously pumped laser diode. Results are presented which show a number of differences between the bistable behaviour of MQW and bulk GaAs segmented devices. Experimental results are included to provide a basis for a qualitative comparison with the theoretical model.

IEE Proceedings J Optoelectronics•Jan 1, 1991•4 citations

Reflective bistability in 1.55 μm laser diode amplifiers

Paradorn Pakdeevanich, M.J. Adams

Bistable laser amplifiers are attractive for potential application in optical switching because of very low input optical requirement, high extinction ratio and the presence of optical gain. Optical bistability (OB) arises from gain saturation and the associated nonlinear refraction combined with the effect of feedback in the laser cavity. We present the experimental results of bistable characteristics for the case of a 1.55 /spl mu/m symmetric Fabry-Perot (F-P) laser amplifier with uncoated facets. This paper reports a particularly rich variety of behaviour for reflected signals. Three main forms of hysteresis loops are observed on reflection. The hysteresis loop changes from anticlockwise to clockwise hysteresis in the optical input-output characteristic when the drive current or initial phase detuning is changed. The butterfly hysteresis loop is observed experimentally at optical input power as low as 260 /spl mu/W for a drive current equal to 90% of the lasing threshold. The dependence of the optical bistability on drive current, initial phase detuning and injected optical power has been investigated. In the bistable light output-initial phase detuning characteristic, the optimum frequency is shifted downward with an increase in the injected power or the drive current. All measurements are in good agreement with an analytical model.

•Jan 1, 1998•0 citations

All-optical bistable switching dynamics of 1.55-/spl mu/m two-segment strained multiquantum-well (MQW) distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers were systematically studied both experimentally and theoretically. Some fundamental optical functionalities, including all-optical set-reset (flip-flop) operations, were demonstrated. The switching responses of these bistable lasers were studied, for the first time, with optical injection from a single-mode DFB laser, indicating that the switching dynamics based on gain quenching and absorption saturation are inherently different. A theoretical model including optical injection was developed to study these all-optical bistable switching characteristics in segmented bistable lasers. It was found that the nonuniform distribution of the photon density in the bistable laser cavity induced by optical injection was essential to perform the time-domain switching operations. Simulations showed a good agreement with experimental observations and indicated design improvements. Although the switching responses in the range of tens of picoseconds can be obtained with these bistable lasers, the maximum repetition frequency of the bistable systems would still be limited to the hundreds of megahertz due to the slow carrier recovery time (5 ns) of the lasers.

Optical injection effects and all-optical set-reset operations in two-segment strained multiquantum-well (MQW) distributed feedback (DFB) bistable lasers were experimentally investigated. The optical bistable characteristics under detuned optical injection, of strained MQW DFB bistable lasers, show the effect of the residual Fabry–Perot side modes of the DFB structures; optimizing the input wavelength and the input power is suggested for applications. The switching properties of dynamic optical set-reset operations with pulsed optical injection were reported, which appear to be related to the optical bistable characteristics under cw optical injection; however, the switching transients are found to be essential to full understanding of these switching properties.

In all-optical switching systems bistable distributed-feedback (DFB) amplifiers are being used experimentally as memory cells and signal regenerators. In this frame a single section DFB amplifier (with one AR coated facet) operating around threshold at 1549 nm is pumped by a similar laser with a carefully controlled frequency detuning. The polarization controlled pump beam is modulated by a Mach-Zehnder switch (2.5 GHz bandwidth) to avoid source frequency chirp. The measurement of a pump reference and of the beam reflected from the amplifier is performed through a fiber directional coupler inserted between the two DFB diodes. Optical bistability has been observed both in transmission and in reflection for a sinewave modulated input in the 1-200 MHz frequency range. The output square wave exhibits up and down switching times lower than 1 ns and about 2 ns, respectively. The latter figure is consistent with the carrier recombination time in InGaAsP active structures, which is the main limit to the recovery time of bistable amplifiers. Work is in progress to investigate this feature in other types of amplifiers (e.g., multisection DFBs and quantum well structures).

Optical bistability (OB) behavior in quarter-wave-shift (QWS) distributed coupling coefficient (DCC) distributed feedback (DFB) semiconductor laser amplifiers (SLApsilas) is investigated. The simulations are based on a modified transfer-matrix method, which considers grating non-uniformities along the structure as well as gain saturation effect. Switching characteristics, including structural dependence of OB in QWS DCC DFB SLApsilas is demonstrated in the steady state regime. Time-dependent analysis of OB is performed as well, and the dynamics of optical switching is demonstrated.

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.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a study of optical bistability in inhomogeneously pumped multiquantum well (MQW) laser diodes. To achieve this aim, gain and spontaneous emission data, calculated for a specific MQW laser material structure, have been incorporated into a model of an inhomogeneously pumped laser diode. Results are presented which show a number of differences between the bistable behaviour of MQW and bulk GaAs segmented devices. Experimental results are included to provide a basis for a qualitative comparison with the theoretical model.

Bistable laser amplifiers are attractive for potential application in optical switching because of very low input optical requirement, high extinction ratio and the presence of optical gain. Optical bistability (OB) arises from gain saturation and the associated nonlinear refraction combined with the effect of feedback in the laser cavity. We present the experimental results of bistable characteristics for the case of a 1.55 /spl mu/m symmetric Fabry-Perot (F-P) laser amplifier with uncoated facets. This paper reports a particularly rich variety of behaviour for reflected signals. Three main forms of hysteresis loops are observed on reflection. The hysteresis loop changes from anticlockwise to clockwise hysteresis in the optical input-output characteristic when the drive current or initial phase detuning is changed. The butterfly hysteresis loop is observed experimentally at optical input power as low as 260 /spl mu/W for a drive current equal to 90% of the lasing threshold. The dependence of the optical bistability on drive current, initial phase detuning and injected optical power has been investigated. In the bistable light output-initial phase detuning characteristic, the optimum frequency is shifted downward with an increase in the injected power or the drive current. All measurements are in good agreement with an analytical model.