High-speed wavelength-swept semiconductor laser with a polygon-scanner-based wavelength filter

Opt Lett. 2003 Oct 15;28(20):1981-3. doi: 10.1364/ol.28.001981.

Abstract

Ultrahigh-speed tuning of an extended-cavity semiconductor laser is demonstrated. The laser resonator comprises a unidirectional fiber-optic ring, a semiconductor optical amplifier as the gain medium, and a novel scanning filter based on a polygonal scanner. Variable tuning rates up to 1150 nm/ms (15.7-kHz repetition frequency) are demonstrated over a 70-nm wavelength span centered at 1.32 microm. This tuning rate is more than an order of magnitude faster than previously demonstrated and is facilitated in part by self-frequency shifting in the semiconductor optical amplifier. The instantaneous linewidth of the source is <0.1 nm for 9-mW cw output power and a low spontaneous-emission background of -80 dB.

MeSH terms

  • Equipment Design
  • Fiber Optic Technology
  • Filtration / instrumentation
  • Lasers*
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Optical Fibers
  • Optics and Photonics
  • Semiconductors*