High-Power, Low RIN 1.55-μm Directly Modulated DFB Lasers for Analog Signal Transmission

Mickael Faugeron (1) , Michaël Tran (2) , François Lelarge (2) , Mourad Chtioui (2) , Yannick Robert (2) , Eric Vinet (2) , Alain Enard (2) , Joël Jacquet (1) , Frederic van Dijk (2)

1 OPTEL - Equipe Optique et électronique pour les télécoms
2 III-V Lab - Alcatel-Thalès III-V lab

We report the demonstration of high-power and low relative intensity noise (RIN) directly modulated distributed feedback lasers at 1.55 μm. We have developed a structure with asymmetrical cladding to reduce internal losses due to the p-doped upper cladding. We obtain an output power of 140 mW at 550 mA and an RIN below −157 dB/Hz in the 0.1-20 GHz range along with a high side-mode suppression ratio (>55 dB). The modulation bandwidth was larger than 7 GHz. The characteristics of these lasers, namely a high electrical to optical conversion efficiency (0.340 W/A at 350 mA), low noise, high power (98 mW at 350 mA), and linearity, make them the perfect candidates for high gain, high dynamic directly modulated analog links.

Keywords: 1.5-μm lasers; directly modulated lasers; distributed feedback lasers; high-power diode lasers; low noise lasers

Domains: Engineering Sciences [physics]; Optics / Photonic

Mickael Faugeron, Michaël Tran, François Lelarge, Mourad Chtioui, Yannick Robert, et al.. High-Power, Low RIN 1.55-μm Directly Modulated DFB Lasers for Analog Signal Transmission. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2012, 24 (2), pp.116-118. ⟨10.1109/LPT.2011.2173479⟩. ⟨hal-00731221⟩