TY - JOUR

T1 - High-repetition-rate pulse generation via self-sustaining cross-gain modulation in a semiconductor-based laser

AU - Smirnov, Sergey

AU - Nyushkov, Boris

AU - Ivanenko, Aleksey

AU - Bednyakova, Anastasia

N1 - We are grateful to Prof. Sergei Turitsyn for intellectual inspiration and to Dr. Ilya Vatnik for technical support. Russian Science Foundation (21-42-04401).

PY - 2023/12/1

Y1 - 2023/12/1

N2 - We present a simple and efficient method for generating regular pulse trains with GHz pulse repetition rates in lasers based on semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs). This method enables pulse formation without active modulation or saturable absorption of the generated radiation. The method relies upon the self-sustaining cross-gain modulation which is achieved by adding the negative optical feedback (NOF) to a ring laser configuration. The resulting modulation of laser gain is shown to be restricted to the frequencies which match both the spacing of longitudinal laser modes and the highest peaks in the NOF-induced instability gain spectrum. This enables the reproducible stationary pulse generation at the strictly defined repetition rates. The feasibility of the method was confirmed by the stable generation of sub-nanosecond pulses at repetition rates up to 1.79 GHz in a SOA-based laser with a simple fiber cavity.

AB - We present a simple and efficient method for generating regular pulse trains with GHz pulse repetition rates in lasers based on semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs). This method enables pulse formation without active modulation or saturable absorption of the generated radiation. The method relies upon the self-sustaining cross-gain modulation which is achieved by adding the negative optical feedback (NOF) to a ring laser configuration. The resulting modulation of laser gain is shown to be restricted to the frequencies which match both the spacing of longitudinal laser modes and the highest peaks in the NOF-induced instability gain spectrum. This enables the reproducible stationary pulse generation at the strictly defined repetition rates. The feasibility of the method was confirmed by the stable generation of sub-nanosecond pulses at repetition rates up to 1.79 GHz in a SOA-based laser with a simple fiber cavity.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85178381449&origin=inward&txGid=0c4eb2bfac2561d40bf2d88076773341

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/8464cd8d-a564-3458-8229-7643151524a2/

U2 - 10.1364/ol.506902

DO - 10.1364/ol.506902

M3 - Article

C2 - 38039197

VL - 48

SP - 6084

EP - 6087

JO - Optics Letters

JF - Optics Letters

SN - 0146-9592

IS - 23

ER -