Ultrashort pulse self-switching in coupled-semiconductor traveling-wave amplifiers
Abstract
A study is made of the self-switching of picosecond pulses using an active nonlinear directional coupler formed by two semiconductor laser amplifiers. Self-phase modulation associated with gain saturation permits all-optical control of output pulses emerging from the amplifiers, but switching from the cross state to the bar state is limited to 50 percent of the output energy. The amplified output pulses may be switched with little temporal distortion while considerable red shift in the output pulse spectra may occur.
- Publication:
-
IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics
- Pub Date:
- March 1991
- DOI:
- 10.1109/3.81339
- Bibcode:
- 1991IJQE...27..410T
- Keywords:
-
- Coupled Modes;
- Laser Modes;
- Optical Switching;
- Picosecond Pulses;
- Semiconductor Lasers;
- Traveling Waves;
- Laser Outputs;
- Phase Modulation;
- Pulse Duration;
- Lasers and Masers