Characterization of a High-Speed, High-Power Semiconductor Master-Oscillator Power-Amplifier (MOPA) Laser as a Free-Space Transmitter

Abstract

Semiconductor lasers ofier promise as high-speed transmitters for free-space optical communication systems. This article examines the performance of a semiconductor laser system in a master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) geometry developed through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with SDL, Inc. The compact thermo-electric cooler (TEC) packaged device is capable of 1-W output optical power at greater than 2-Gb/s data rates and a wavelength of 960 nm. In particular, we have investigated the efiects of amplified spontaneous emission on the modulation extinction ratio and bit-error rate (BER) performance. BERs of up to 10¡9 were possible at 1.4 Gb/s; however, the modulation extinction ratio was limited to 6 dB. Other key parameters for a free-space optical transmitter, such as the electrical-optical e–ciency (24 percent) and beam quality, also were measured.

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Details

Volume

42-142

Published

August 15, 2000

Pages

1–11

File Size

2.4 MB