Design and Analysis of Enhanced Modulation Response in Integrated Coupled Cavities DBR Lasers Using Photon-Photon Resonance

Abstract

In the last few decades, various solutions have been proposed to increase the modulation bandwidth and, consequently, the transmission bit-rate of semiconductor lasers. In this manuscript, we discuss a design procedure for a recently proposed laser cavity realized with the monolithic integration of two distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers allowing one to extend the modulation bandwidth. Such an extension is obtained introducing in the dynamic response a photon-photon resonance (PPR) at a frequency higher than the modulation bandwidth of the corresponding single-section laser. Design guidelines will be proposed, and dynamic small and large signal simulations results, calculated using a finite difference traveling wave (FDTW) numerical simulator, will be discussed to confirm the design results. The effectiveness of the design procedure is verified in a structure with PPR frequency at 35 GHz allowing one to obtain an open eye diagram for a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) digital signal up to 80 GHz . Furthermore, the investigation of the rich dynamics of this structure shows that with proper bias conditions, it is possible to obtain also a tunable self-pulsating signal in a frequency range related to the PPR design.

Keywords

• semiconductor laser diode
• monolithically-integrated coupled-cavity DBR lasers
• integrated optics
• photonic integrated circuits (PICs)
• direct modulation
• small-signal modulation bandwidth
• eye diagram
• DBR laser
• optical injection-locking