High-frequency modulation of a quantum-cascade laser using a monolithically integrated intracavity modulator

Hofstetter, Daniel; Beck, Mattias; Aellen, Thierry; Blaser, Stéphane

doi:10.1109/LPT.2003.814896

High-frequency modulation of a quantum-cascade laser using a monolithically integrated intracavity modulator

Author(s)

Hofstetter, Daniel

Laboratoire temps-fréquence

Beck, Mattias

Aellen, Thierry

Blaser, Stéphane

Date issued

2003

In

Photonics Technology Letters (IEEE), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2003/15/8/1044-1046

Subjects

atmospheric window free-space intracavity modulator optical data transmission quantum-cascade (QC) laser

Abstract

We report a quantum-cascade laser monolithically integrated with an intracavity modulator which could be operated up to 1 GHz. In contrast to earlier approaches, where the radio frequency (RF) modulation signal was supplied to the entire cavity length of the laser structure, we drive only a relatively small 375-/spl mu/m-long section of the cavity. At the same time, a quasi-continuous-wave signal was supplied to the remaining 1125-/spl mu/m-long section. This modulation scheme resulted in smaller parasitic capacitance effects than what we reported previously, and enabled us to work with lower RF voltages and currents.