Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes and Optical Tunable Filters Dr. H. Ghafouri–Shiraz The University of Birmingham, UK and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes and Optical Tunable Filters Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes and Optical Tunable Filters Dr. H. Ghafouri–Shiraz The University of Birmingham, UK and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Copyright#2003 JohnWiley&SonsLtd,TheAtrium,SouthernGate,Chichester, WestSussexPO198SQ,England Telephone (+44)1243779777 Email(forordersandcustomerserviceenquiries):[email protected] VisitourHomePageonwww.wileyeurope.comorwww.wiley.com AllRightsReserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystemortransmitted inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,scanningorotherwise,except underthetermsoftheCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988orunderthetermsofalicenceissuedbythe CopyrightLicensingAgencyLtd,90TottenhamCourtRoad,LondonW1T4LP,UK,withoutthepermission inwritingofthePublisher.RequeststothePublishershouldbeaddressedtothePermissionsDepartment, JohnWiley&SonsLtd,TheAtrium,SouthernGate,Chichester,WestSussexPO198SQ,England,or [email protected],orfaxedto(+44)1243770620. 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Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN0-470-85618-1(alk.paper) 1.Lightemittingdiodes.2.Solid-statelasers.3.Tunablelasers.4.Lightfilters. I.Title. TK7871.89.L53G43 2003 621.3606–dc21 2003050194 BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary ISBN0-470-85618-1 Typesetin10/12ptTimesbyThomsonPress(India)Limited,NewDelhi PrintedandboundinGreatBritainbyTJInternational,Padstow,Cornwall Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaperresponsiblymanufacturedfromsustainableforestry inwhichatleasttwotreesareplantedforeachoneusedforpaperproduction. This book is dedicated to MyFather,thelateHajiMansour,fortheuncompromisingprinciplesthatguidedhislife and for his profound influence and inspiration. My Mother, Rahmat, for leading her children into intellectual pursuits. My Supervisor, the late Professor Takanori Okoshi, for his continuous guidance, encouragement, inspiring discussion and moral support. A distinguished scientist and a great teacher who made me aware of the immense potential of optical fibre communications. MyWife,Maryam,forherunderstandingsupport,affectionandmagnificentdevotionto her family. My constant companion and best friend, she has demonstrated incredible patience and understanding during the rather painful process of writing this book while maintaining a most pleasant, cheerful and comforting home. My Children, Elham, Ahmad-Reza and Iman, for making everything worthwhile. To all of my research and undergraduate students since 1987, for their excellent and fruitful research work, and for many stimulating discussions, which encouraged and motivated me to write this book. Contents Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv Glossary of Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xviii Glossary of Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix 1. An Introduction to Optical Communication Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 Historical Progress. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.3 Optical Fibre Communication Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1.3.1 Intensity Modulation with a Direct Detection Scheme . . . . . . . . 5 1.3.2 Coherent Detection Schemes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.4 System Requirements for High-Speed Optical Coherent Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.4.1 Spectral Purity Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.4.2 Spectral Linewidth Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 1.5 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 1.6 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 2. Principles of Distributed Feedback Semiconductor Laser Diodes: Coupled Wave Theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 2.2 Basic Principle of Lasers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 2.2.1 Absorption and Emission of Radiation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 2.2.2 The Einstein Relations and the Concept of Population Inversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 2.2.3 Dispersive Properties of Atomic Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 2.3 Basic Principles of Semiconductor Lasers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 2.3.1 Population Inversion in Semiconductor Junctions. . . . . . . . . . . 38 2.3.2 Principle of the Fabry–Perot Etalon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 2.3.3 Structural Improvements in Semiconductor Lasers. . . . . . . . . . 43 2.3.4 Material Gain in Semiconductor Lasers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 2.3.5 Total Radiative Recombination Rate in Semiconductors. . . . . . 48 2.4 Coupled Wave Equations in Distributed Feedback Semiconductor Laser Diodes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 2.4.1 A Purely Index-coupled DFB Laser Diode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 2.4.2 A Mixed-coupled DFB Laser Diode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 2.4.3 A Gain-coupled or Loss-coupled DFB Laser Diode. . . . . . . . . 58 2.5 Coupling Coefficient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 2.5.1 A Structural Definition of the Coupling Coefficient for DFB Semiconductor Lasers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60