Antiresonant Fabry-Perot p-i-n modulator
AssigneeAT&T Bell Laboratories
InventorUrsula Keller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The advantages of both active and passive modelocking techniques are realized within a single device by providing a p-i-n modulator formed at antiresonance within a Fabry-Perot etalon. The p-i-n modulator actively modulates light within the laser cavity by introducing periodic loss in response to changing voltages applied to the modulator. The p-i-n modulator includes an intrinsic region that is disposed between a p-doped region and an n-doped region. The modelocking performance of the p-i-n modulator is enhanced by the saturable absorber action of the intrinsic region.
Claims10
Optical apparatus comprising:
- first and second reflective elements being spaced apart to form a Fabry-Perot etalon therebetween, the Fabry-Perot etalon being characterized by a plurality of optical frequencies each frequency corresponding to a resonant condition;
- and
- semiconductor material having a nonlinear optical absorption that can be varied with an applied voltage substantially at a predetermined optical frequency and being positioned between the first and second reflective elements, the predetermined optical frequency being between any two adjacent optical frequencies in the plurality of optical frequencies so that the predetermined optical frequency occurs substantially at an optical frequency corresponding to an anti-resonant condition for the Fabry-Perot etalon, the semiconductor material comprising a p-i-n modulator having a p-doped region, an intrinsic region, and an n-doped region, the intrinsic region being disposed between the p-doped and n-doped regions.
Optical apparatus comprising:
- first and second reflective elements being spaced apart to form a Fabry-Perot etalon therebetween, the Fabry-Perot etalon being characterized by a plurality of optical frequencies each frequency corresponding to a resonant condition;
- and
- a integrated modulator positioned between the first and second reflective elements and having a nonlinear optical absorption, that can be varied with an applied voltage, substantially at a predetermined optical frequency and the predetermined optical frequency being between any two adjacent optical frequencies in the plurality of optical frequencies so that the predetermined optical frequency occurs substantially at an optical frequency corresponding to an anti-resonant condition for the Fabry-Perot etalon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.