Laser diode structures with a saturable absorber for high-energy picosecond optical pulse generation by combined gain-and Q-switching

TY - JOUR

T1 - Laser diode structures with a saturable absorber for high-energy picosecond optical pulse generation by combined gain-and Q-switching

AU - Ryvkin, B. S.

AU - Avrutin, E. A.

AU - Kostamovaara, J. E K

AU - Kostamovaara, J. T.

N1 - © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd . This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details

PY - 2017/1/19

Y1 - 2017/1/19

N2 - The performance of gain-switched Fabry-Perot asymmetric-waveguide semiconductor lasers with a large equivalent spot size and an intracavity saturable absorber was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The laser with a short (∼20 μm) absorber emitted high-energy afterpulse-free optical pulses in a broad range of injection current pulse amplitudes; optical pulses with a peak power of about 35 W and a duration of about 80 ps at half maximum were achieved with a current pulse with an amplitude of just 8 A and a duration of 1.5 ns. Good quality pulsations were observed in a broad range of elevated temperatures. The introduction of a substantially longer absorber section leads to strong spectral broadening of the output without a significant improvement to pulse energy and peak power.

AB - The performance of gain-switched Fabry-Perot asymmetric-waveguide semiconductor lasers with a large equivalent spot size and an intracavity saturable absorber was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The laser with a short (∼20 μm) absorber emitted high-energy afterpulse-free optical pulses in a broad range of injection current pulse amplitudes; optical pulses with a peak power of about 35 W and a duration of about 80 ps at half maximum were achieved with a current pulse with an amplitude of just 8 A and a duration of 1.5 ns. Good quality pulsations were observed in a broad range of elevated temperatures. The introduction of a substantially longer absorber section leads to strong spectral broadening of the output without a significant improvement to pulse energy and peak power.

KW - gain switching

KW - optical radars

KW - semiconductor lasers

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85011357414&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/1361-6641/32/2/025015

DO - 10.1088/1361-6641/32/2/025015

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85011357414

VL - 32

JO - Semiconductor science and technology

JF - Semiconductor science and technology

SN - 0268-1242

IS - 2

M1 - 025015

ER -