US 5,586,138 A · Multiple-cavity semiconductor laser capable of generating ultrashort light pulse train with ultrahigh repetition rate

Abstract

A semiconductor laser is provided which is capable of generating a train of ultrashort light pulses with an ultrahigh repetition frequency and which is useful in optical communications and optical information processing. The semiconductor laser is a mode-locked semiconductor laser which has two resonator cavities which are formed by two facets and a distributed feedback structure between these two facets. The length of the resonator cavity formed between one facet and the distributed feedback structure is 1/m (where m is an integer) of the length of the resonator cavity formed by the other facet and the distributed feedback structure. A saturable absorption region and a high-frequency modulation region are provided within the longer of the resonator cavities. By making the high-frequency modulation frequency be equal to the round trip frequency of the light within the longer resonator cavity, mode-locked operation is achieved. Because of the linking of the shorter resonator cavity, a train of light pulses having a repetition frequency of m times the mode-locked pulse train frequency is obtained.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A semiconductor laser comprising:

a resonator having two resonator cavities, which have different lengths, all in a unitary structure, one of said resonator cavities having a length 1/m (where m is an integer) that of the other of said two resonator cavities;
and
a reflection mirror which is common to said two resonator cavities and which has a distributed feedback construction.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

08/418,001Filed 6 Apr 1995

Priority

JP 6-08857826 Apr 1994

Granted

17 Dec 1996

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H01S 5/12
Construction or shape of the optical resonator , e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or…: the…
H01S 5/065
Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium: mode locking; Mode suppression; Mode selection ;…
H01S 3/082
Comprising three or more reflectors: defining a plurality of resonators, e.g. for mode selection or suppression
H01S 5/0601
Arrangements for controlling the laser output parameters, e.g. by operating on the active medium: comprising an absorbing region

Multiple-cavity semiconductor laser capable of generating ultrashort light pulse train with ultrahigh repetition rate

Life of this patent

Multiple-cavity semiconductor laser capable of generating ultrashort light pulse train with ultrahigh repetition rate

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5