Passive mode locking of a GaSb-based quantum well diode laser emitting at 2.1 μm

Abstract

We demonstrate passive mode locking of a GaSb-based diode laser emitting at 2.1 μm. The active region of the studied device consists in two 10-nm-thick GaInSbAs/GaAlSbAs quantum wells. Passive mode locking has been achieved in a two-section laser with one of the sections used as a saturable absorber. A microwave signal at 20.6 GHz, measured in the electrical circuit of the absorber, corresponds to the fundamental photon round-trip frequency in the laser resonator. The linewidth of this signal as low as ∼10 kHz has been observed at certain operating conditions, indicating low phase noise mode-locked operation.

Modal gain characteristics of a 2 μm InGaSb/AlGaAsSb passively mode-locked quantum well laser

“…10,11 All these features make them very desirable. Regarding the architecture of semiconductor mode-locked lasers (MLLs), a two-section or multi-section waveguide is popularly used, [12][13][14][15] and in a semiconductor laser, the absorber can just simply be a section of the device with reverse bias.…”

Frequency comb investigation of monolithic mode‐locked GaSb‐based laser at 1.7 µm by heterodyne detection

“…The recent development of GaSb‐based, monolithic mode‐locked lasers was limited to 2.0–2.2 µm [1–3 ]. In the past, the main research focus of monolithic mode‐locked lasers was based on wavelengths from 0.63 to 1.6 µm on the GaAs and InP material system [4 ].…”

Characteristic Temperature of a 2 μm InGaSb/AlGaAsSb Mode-locked Quantum Well Laser

“…Ultrafast light sources operating in the 2 µm range are promising for many applications such as molecular spectroscopy, high resolution gas sensing, advanced telecommunications, and eye-safe light detection and ranging (LIDAR) [1,2]. Recently, passive mode locking has been demonstrated in 2 µm monolithic GaSb-based diode lasers [3,4]. However, high temperature performance of the lasers remains unexplored.…”