Authors:
Rebecca B. Swertfeger
1
;
James A. Beil
1
;
Stephen M. Misak
1
;
Jeremy Thomas
2
;
Jenna Campbell
2
;
Daniel Renner
2
;
Milan Mashanovitch
2
and
Paul O. Leisher
3
Affiliations:
1
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, United States
;
2
Freedom Photonics and LLC., United States
;
3
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Freedom Photonics and LLC., United States
Keyword(s):
Semiconductor Laser, Diode Laser, Semiconductor Amplifier, Tapered Amplifier, Master-Oscillator Power-Amplifier (MOPA), High Power, Beam Quality, Single-Mode, Gain Profile, Longitudinal Spatial Hole Burning, Optical Communication Sources, Free-Space Optical Communication, InGaAsP, InP.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
High Intensity Lasers and High Field Phenomena
;
Lasers
;
Photodetectors, Sensors and Imaging
;
Photonic and Optoelectronic Materials and Devices
;
Photonics
;
Photonics, Optics and Laser Technology
;
Semiconductor Lasers and Leds
Abstract:
A novel experimental approach to permit direct observation of the 2D gain profile in high power tapered semiconductor optical amplifiers and integrated MOPA devices is reported. A two-dimensional simulation of the photon, carrier, and gain distributions inside the tapered amplifier demonstrate gain saturation effects that could be measured by directly viewing the spontaneous emission profile inside of the cavity. Tapered lasers with a built-in window on the back of the device are fabricated and a SWIR microscope camera is used to measure the spontaneous emission profile under operation at varying injection levels. The effect of gain saturation due to stimulated emission is clearly observed and in close agreement with the theoretical model.