Ultrafast switch-on dynamics of frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers

Iman Kundu; Feihu Wang; Xiaoqiong Qi; Hanond Nong; Paul Dean; Joshua R. Freeman; Alexander Valavanis; Gary Agnew; Andrew T. Grier; Thomas Taimre; Lianhe Li; Dragan Indjin; Juliette Mangeney; Jérôme Tignon; Sukhdeep S. Dhillon; Aleksandar D. Rakić; John E. Cunningham; Edmund H. Linfield; A. Giles Davies

doi:10.1038/s41467-018-05601-x

Ultrafast switch-on dynamics of frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers

Iman Kundu^*, Feihu Wang, Xiaoqiong Qi, Hanond Nong, Paul Dean, Joshua R. Freeman, Alexander Valavanis, Gary Agnew, Andrew T. Grier, Thomas Taimre, Lianhe Li, Dragan Indjin, Juliette Mangeney, Jérôme Tignon, Sukhdeep S. Dhillon, Aleksandar D. Rakić, John E. Cunningham, Edmund H. Linfield, A. Giles Davies

^*Corresponding author for this work

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Single-mode frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers based on monolithic integration of multiple cavity sections are important components, widely used in optical communications, photonic integrated circuits and other optical technologies. To date, investigations of the ultrafast switching processes in such lasers, essential to reduce frequency cross-talk, have been restricted to the observation of intensity switching over nanosecond-timescales. Here, we report coherent measurements of the ultrafast switch-on dynamics, mode competition and frequency selection in a monolithic frequency-tuneable laser using coherent time-domain sampling of the laser emission. This approach allows us to observe hopping between lasing modes on picosecond-timescales and the temporal evolution of transient multi-mode emission into steady-state single mode emission. The underlying physics is explained through a full multi-mode, temperature-dependent carrier and photon transport model. Our results show that the fundamental limit on the timescales of frequency-switching between competing modes varies with the underlying Vernier alignment of the laser cavity.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	3076
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	9
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05601-x
State	Published - Dec 1 2018

Funding

We acknowledge the support from: the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), UK (\u2018COTS\u2019 and \u2018HyperTerahertz\u2019 programmes, EP/J017671/1 and EP/P021859/1); European Union FET-Open grant ULTRAQCL 665158; the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action BM1205; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France; and a Royal Society International Exchange grant (IE120898). E.H.L. and A.G.D. are grateful for support from the Royal Society and Wolfson Foundation.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

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Kundu, I., Wang, F., Qi, X., Nong, H., Dean, P., Freeman, J. R., Valavanis, A., Agnew, G., Grier, A. T., Taimre, T., Li, L., Indjin, D., Mangeney, J., Tignon, J., Dhillon, S. S., Rakić, A. D., Cunningham, J. E., Linfield, E. H., & Davies, A. G. (2018). Ultrafast switch-on dynamics of frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers. Nature communications, 9(1), Article 3076. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05601-x

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title = "Ultrafast switch-on dynamics of frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers",

abstract = "Single-mode frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers based on monolithic integration of multiple cavity sections are important components, widely used in optical communications, photonic integrated circuits and other optical technologies. To date, investigations of the ultrafast switching processes in such lasers, essential to reduce frequency cross-talk, have been restricted to the observation of intensity switching over nanosecond-timescales. Here, we report coherent measurements of the ultrafast switch-on dynamics, mode competition and frequency selection in a monolithic frequency-tuneable laser using coherent time-domain sampling of the laser emission. This approach allows us to observe hopping between lasing modes on picosecond-timescales and the temporal evolution of transient multi-mode emission into steady-state single mode emission. The underlying physics is explained through a full multi-mode, temperature-dependent carrier and photon transport model. Our results show that the fundamental limit on the timescales of frequency-switching between competing modes varies with the underlying Vernier alignment of the laser cavity.",

author = "Iman Kundu and Feihu Wang and Xiaoqiong Qi and Hanond Nong and Paul Dean and Freeman, {Joshua R.} and Alexander Valavanis and Gary Agnew and Grier, {Andrew T.} and Thomas Taimre and Lianhe Li and Dragan Indjin and Juliette Mangeney and J{\'e}r{\^o}me Tignon and Dhillon, {Sukhdeep S.} and Raki{\'c}, {Aleksandar D.} and Cunningham, {John E.} and Linfield, {Edmund H.} and Davies, {A. Giles}",

note = "Funding Information: We acknowledge the support from: the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), UK ({\textquoteleft}COTS{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}HyperTerahertz{\textquoteright} programmes, EP/J017671/1 and EP/P021859/1); European Union FET-Open grant ULTRAQCL 665158; the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action BM1205; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France; and a Royal Society International Exchange grant (IE120898). E.H.L. and A.G.D. are grateful for support from the Royal Society and Wolfson Foundation. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018, The Author(s).",

year = "2018",

month = dec,

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-018-05601-x",

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Kundu, I, Wang, F, Qi, X, Nong, H, Dean, P, Freeman, JR, Valavanis, A, Agnew, G, Grier, AT, Taimre, T, Li, L, Indjin, D, Mangeney, J, Tignon, J, Dhillon, SS, Rakić, AD, Cunningham, JE, Linfield, EH & Davies, AG 2018, 'Ultrafast switch-on dynamics of frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers', Nature communications, vol. 9, no. 1, 3076. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05601-x

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T1 - Ultrafast switch-on dynamics of frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers

AU - Kundu, Iman

AU - Wang, Feihu

AU - Qi, Xiaoqiong

AU - Nong, Hanond

AU - Dean, Paul

AU - Freeman, Joshua R.

AU - Valavanis, Alexander

AU - Agnew, Gary

AU - Grier, Andrew T.

AU - Taimre, Thomas

AU - Li, Lianhe

AU - Indjin, Dragan

AU - Mangeney, Juliette

AU - Tignon, Jérôme

AU - Dhillon, Sukhdeep S.

AU - Rakić, Aleksandar D.

AU - Cunningham, John E.

AU - Linfield, Edmund H.

AU - Davies, A. Giles

N1 - Funding Information: We acknowledge the support from: the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), UK (‘COTS’ and ‘HyperTerahertz’ programmes, EP/J017671/1 and EP/P021859/1); European Union FET-Open grant ULTRAQCL 665158; the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action BM1205; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France; and a Royal Society International Exchange grant (IE120898). E.H.L. and A.G.D. are grateful for support from the Royal Society and Wolfson Foundation. Publisher Copyright: © 2018, The Author(s).

PY - 2018/12/1

Y1 - 2018/12/1

N2 - Single-mode frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers based on monolithic integration of multiple cavity sections are important components, widely used in optical communications, photonic integrated circuits and other optical technologies. To date, investigations of the ultrafast switching processes in such lasers, essential to reduce frequency cross-talk, have been restricted to the observation of intensity switching over nanosecond-timescales. Here, we report coherent measurements of the ultrafast switch-on dynamics, mode competition and frequency selection in a monolithic frequency-tuneable laser using coherent time-domain sampling of the laser emission. This approach allows us to observe hopping between lasing modes on picosecond-timescales and the temporal evolution of transient multi-mode emission into steady-state single mode emission. The underlying physics is explained through a full multi-mode, temperature-dependent carrier and photon transport model. Our results show that the fundamental limit on the timescales of frequency-switching between competing modes varies with the underlying Vernier alignment of the laser cavity.

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Ultrafast switch-on dynamics of frequency-tuneable semiconductor lasers

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