Handbook of Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes

397 Pages·2013·16.956 MB·English

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N HANDBOOK OF
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W O Distributed Feedback
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Laser Diodes
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Since the first edition of this book was published in 1997, the photonics landscape has L
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evolved considerably and so has the role of distributed feedback (DFB) laser diodes.
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Although tunable laser diodes continue to be introduced in advanced optical communi-
R SECOND EDITION
cation systems, DFB laser diodes are still widely applied in many deployed systems. This
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also includes wavelength tunable DFB laser diodes and DFB laser diode arrays, usually
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integrated with intensity or phase modulators and semiconductor optical amplifiers.
This valuable resource gives professionals a comprehensive description of the different
effects that determine the behavior of a DFB laser diode. Special attention is given to LH
two new chapters on wavelength tunable DFB laser diodes and bistable and unstable aA
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DFB laser diodes. Among many other updates throughout this book, semiconductor N
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and electromagnetic professionals are also provided with two new appendices. This rD
book fully covers the underlying theory, commercial applications, necessary design cri-
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teria, and future direction of this technology.
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Contents Overview:
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Fabry-Perot and Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes; Rate Equation Theory of Laser e

Diodes; Coupled Mode Theory of DFB Laser Diodes; Carrier Injection; Spectrum sO

of DFB Laser Diodes; IM and FM Behavior of DFB Laser Diodes; Harmonic and
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Intermodulation Distortion in DFB Laser Diodes; Noise Characteristics of DFB Laser EC
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Diodes; Wavelength Tunable DFB Laser Diodes; Bistable and Self-Pulsating DFB Laser O
Diodes; Fabrication and Packaging of DFB Laser Diodes N i
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Geert Morthier is a professor and group leader in the Department of Information IT ib
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Technology at Ghent University. He earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from O u
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Ghent University. t
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Patrick Vankwikelberge is head of business development at the technology transfer

office of Ghent University. He earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Ghent F
University. e
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Include bar code a
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ISBN 13: 978-1-60807-701-4

ISBN 10: 1-60807-701-2
BOSTON LONDON
www.artechhouse.com
GEERT MORTHIER • PATRICK VANKWIKELBERGE
Handbook of Distributed
Feedback Laser Diodes
Second Edition
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For a listing of recent titles in the
Artech House Applied Photonics Library,
turn to the back of this book.
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Handbook of Distributed
Feedback Laser Diodes
Second Edition
Geert Morthier
Patrick Vankwikelberge
artechhouse.com
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available from the U.S. Library of Congress.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN-13: 978-1-60807-701-4
Cover design by Vicki Kane
© 2013 ArteCh house
685 Canton street
Norwood, MA 02062
All rights reserved. Printed and bound in the United States of America. No part of this
book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks
have been appropriately capitalized. Artech House cannot attest to the accuracy of this
information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of
any trademark or service mark.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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To my daughters,
Tina and Fara
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Contents
Preface xv
1 Introduction to Fabry-Perot and Distributed
Feedback Laser Diodes 1
1.1 Historical Background 2
1.2 Laser Diode Device Structure 5
1.3 Operation of the Laser Diode 10
1.3.1 The Basic Concept of Fabry-Perot Laser Diodes 10
1.3.2 Optical Material Parameters 13
1.3.3 Thermal Aspects of Laser Diodes 14
1.4 Essential Laser Diode Characteristics 16
1.4.1 Static Characteristics 16
1.4.2 Dynamic Characteristics 18
1.5 Use of Laser Diodes in Optical Communications
Systems 20
1.6 Dynamic Single-Mode Laser Diodes 22
1.6.1 Short-Cavity Lasers 23
1.6.2 Coupled-Cavity Lasers 23
1.6.3 Injection-Locked Lasers 24
1.6.4 Laser Diodes with Distributed Optical Feedback 25
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viii Handbook of Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes
1.7 Organization of This Book 28
2 Rate Equation Theory of Laser Diodes 31
2.1 Introduction 31
2.2 Carrier Density Rate Equation 32
2.3 Photon Density Rate Equation 34
2.4 Phase Equations 35
2.5 Introducing Noise in the Rate Equations 36
2.6 Optical Gain and Absorption 39
2.6.1 Bulk Materials 41
2.6.2 Quantum Wells 42
2.6.3 Strained Layer Quantum Wells 45
2.6.4 Gain Suppression 45
2.7 Some Well-Known Solutions of the Rate
Equations 48
2.7.1 The Static Side Mode Suppression 48
2.7.2 The FM and AM Behavior 50
2.7.3 Harmonic Distortion Characteristics 53
2.7.4 Large Signal Characteristics 54
2.7.5 The Power Spectrum, the Linewidth, and the
Intensity Noise 58
2.8 The Influence of External Reflections 61
2.9 Summary 65
3 Coupled-Mode Theory of DFB Laser Diodes 69
3.1 The Physical Processes Inside a Laser Diode 70
3.1.1 The Electrical Process: Electrical Carrier Transport 70
3.1.2 The Electro-Optic Process: The Carrier-Photon
Interactions 71
3.1.3 The Optical Process: Optical Wave Propagation 71
3.1.4 The Thermal Process: Heat Transport 72
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Contents ix
3.2 The Need for Simplification 72
3.3 Assumptions about the Modeled Laser Structure 73
3.4 Optical Wave Propagation 74
3.4.1 Description of the Optical Field 74
3.4.2 The Scalar Wave Equation 77
3.4.3 The Langevin Force 78
3.4.4 Reduction Toward the Coupled-Wave Equations 79
3.5 Discussion of the Coupled-Mode Wave
Equations 84
3.5.1 The Bragg and Maximum Gain Wavelengths 84
3.5.2 Influence of Radiation Modes in Higher Order
Gratings 85
3.5.3 Longitudinal Rate Equations for the Optical
Field 88
3.5.4 The Instantaneous Optical Frequencies 89
3.5.5 Comments on Spontaneous Emission 90
3.6 The Electrical Transport Problem 92
3.6.1 The Carrier Rate Equation 92
3.6.2 Current or Voltage Drive of the Laser 94
3.7 The Standing-Wave Effect in Gain-Coupled
Lasers 95
3.8 Boundary Conditions 97
4 Applying the Coupled Mode Theory 101
4.1 Introduction 101
4.2 Threshold Solutions for Simple DFB Lasers 102
4.2.1 AR-Coated DFB Lasers 103
4.2.2 The Stopband or Energy Gap 108
4.2.3 DFB Lasers with Reflecting Facets 109
4.2.4 The λ/4 Phase-Shifted DFB Laser 111
4.2.5 Second Order Index Coupled DFB Lasers 112
4.3 Numerical Solutions of the Coupled Mode
Model 115
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