We have compared experimentally the transmission performance of on-off keying (OOK), differential phase-shift keying (DPSK), and pulse position modulation (PPM) optical waveforms at 2.5 Gb/s for free-space optical communication applications. We show that each technique is advantageous depending on the desired system complexity, cost, transmission data rate, optical aperture used (single mode vs. multimode), optical receiver used, availability of optical preamplifier, and ambient conditions. RZ format offers a 1- to 2-dB receiver sensitivity advantage over NRZ for both OOK and DPSK. With an optical preamplifier, an APD receiver offers no advantage over a PIN receiver. If the light can be collected efficiently in single-mode fiber without phase noise and an optical preamplifier is available, RZ-DPSK has definite performance advantages over other data formats. We measured an unoptimized balanced receiver sensitivity of 58 photons/bit for 10-9 BER for RZ-DPSK. For multimode received optical signals, RZ-OOK combined with an APD receiver is an optimum choice for 2.5 Gb/s.
Our free-space optical (FSO) communication experiments show that, compared to non-return-to-zero (NRZ) encoding, return-to-zero (RZ) data format is more robust to atmospheric turbulence. A forward error correction coding gain up to 5 dB is obtained at a bit error-rate of 1x10-15 for FSO link with Reed-Solomon (255,239) generic FEC (GFEC) which is specified in ITU-T G.709 standards. The coding gain increases further up to 1.6 dB with enhanced FEC (EFEC) that adds no additional overheads. Still, the link-margin with both GFEC and EFEC decreases with atmospheric turbulence.
KEYWORDS: Video, Receivers, Fused deposition modeling, Time division multiplexing, Signal to noise ratio, PIN photodiodes, Modulation, Avalanche photodetectors, Fiber to the x, Transmitters
For low cost fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) passive optical networks (PON), we have studied the delivery of broadcast digital video as an overlay to baseband switched digital services on the same fiber using a single transmitter and a single receiver. We have multiplexed the baseband data at 155.52 Mbps with digital video QPSK channels in the 270 - 1450 MHz range with minimal degradation. We used an additional 860 MHz carrier modulated with 8 Mbps QPSK as a test-signal. An optical to electrical (O/E) receiver using an APD satisfies the power budget needs of ITU-T document G983.x for both class B and C operations (i.e., receiver sensitivity less than -33 dBm for a 10-10 bit error rate) without any FEC for both data and video. The PIN diode O/E receiver nearly satisfies the need for class B operation (-30 dBm receiver sensitivity) of G983 with FEC in QPSK FDM video. For a 155.52 Mbps baseband data transmission and for a given bit error rate, there is approximately 6 dBo1 optical power penalty due to video overlay. Of this, 1 dBo penalty is due to biasing the laser with an extinction ratio reduced from 10 dBo to approximately 6 dBo, and approximately 5 dBo penalty is due to receiver bandwidth increasing from approximately 100 MHz to approximately 1 GHz. The penalty due to receiver is after optimizing the filter for baseband data, and is caused by the reduced value of feedback resistor of the first stage transimpedance amplifier. The optical power penalty for video transmission is about 2 dBo due to reduced optical modulation index.
We report the first uncooled non-hermetic 1.3 micrometer InP-based communication lasers that have reliability comparable to their hermetically packaged counterparts for possible applications in fiber in the loop and cable TV. The development of reliable non-hermetic semiconductor lasers would not only lead to the elimination of the costs specifically associated with hermetic packaging but also lead the way for possible revolutionary low cost optoelectronic packaging technologies. We have used Fabry-Perot capped mesa buried heterostructure (CMBH) uncooled lasers with both bulk and MQW active regions grown on n- type InP substrates by VPE and MOCVD. We find that the proper dielectric facet passivation is the key to obtain high reliability in a non-hermetic environment. The passivation protects the laser from the ambient and maintains the proper facet reflectivity to achieve desired laser characteristics. The SiO facet passivation formed by molecular beam deposition (MBD) has resulted in lasers with lifetime well in excess of the reliability goal of 3,000 hours operation at 85 degrees Celsius/90% RH/30 mA aging condition. Based on extrapolations derived experimentally, we calculate a 15 year average device hazard rate of less than 300 FITs (as against the desired 1,500 FITs) for the combination of thermal and humidity induced degradation at an ambient condition of 45 degrees Celsius/50% RH. For comparison, the average hazard rate at 45 degrees Celsius and 15 years of service is approximately 250 FITs for hermetic lasers of similar construction. A comparison of the thermal only degradation (hermetic) to the thermal plus humidity induced degradation (non-hermetic) indicates that the reliability of these nonhermetic lasers is controlled by thermal degradation only and not by moisture-induced degradation. In addition to device passivation for a non-hermetic environment, MBD-SiO maintains the optical, electrical and mechanical properties needed for high-performance laser systems.
Reliable non-hermetic photodiodes are expected to reduce the cost of optoelectronics used in fiber to the home and cable TV system. However, all reports to date indicate non-hermetic InGaAs/InP photodiodes do not have sufficient reliability for use in the systems. In this paper, we report the first data that conclusively shows, properly designed and manufactured non- hermetic InGaAs/InP photodiodes can be made with reliability sufficient to use in telecommunication systems. We have produced non-hermetic photodiodes whose hazard rate at 15 years of field use at 45 degrees Celsius and 50% RH is less than 100 FITs, the requirement for telecommunication systems.
KEYWORDS: Semiconductor lasers, Near field, Quantum wells, Signal detection, Radiation effects, Waveguides, Heterojunctions, Second-harmonic generation, Switching, Near field optics
In this paper the investigation of internal optical second harmonic generation (SH) of buried heterostructure (BH) InGaAs/AlGaAs strained quantum well laser diodes is performed for additional characterization of these devices which are capable of operating at high power densities as high as 3 MW/cm2 at room temperature and 0.1 MW/cm2 at 190 degree(s)C. The blue-green emission level is of the order of 105 photons per second for laser diodes with 3micrometers active layer width at fundamental optical power of 2.0 mW. This relatively high SH intensity level makes it possible to observe the light spot in optical microscopes and to detect SH signal with a standard photon counting system in wide operation current and ambient temperature intervals. Variation of the SH signal at the constant fundamental harmonic (FH) power indicates that changes in the near field occur. SH far-field patterns of laser diodes reflect the effects of SH radiation spot size reduction in comparison with FH radiation spot size and FH waves nonlinear interactions in the waveguide material.
We report a novel method for growth and fabrication of high performance strained AlGaAs/InGaAs quantum well buried heterostructure (BH) lasers. The method involves growth of the laser structure by molecular beam epitaxy, mesa formation by in-situ melt etching using SiO2 stripes as a mask, and regrowth of p p n AlGaAs isolating layers by liquid phase epitaxy. The method allows etching, preservation of high quality sidewalls, regrowth and planarization in one step with negligible thermal disordering. Compared to ridge wave guide (RWG) lasers, the BH lasers so fabricated have significantly lower threshold current, higher power output, higher temperature operation, lower cavity losses, and kink free light-current (L-I) characteristics, as expected. A cw power of 150 mW/facet at 986 nm was measured from a 400 micrometers long BH laser with 11 micrometers active stripe width. A minimum threshold current of 2.5 mA was measured for lasers with 3.0-micrometers active width and 300 - 400 micrometers cavity length. The L-I characteristics of 500-, 800-, and 1300-micrometers long lasers with 3.0 micrometers active width were linear up to the currents corresponding to a current density of 10 kA cm-2. At higher current densities, a sublinear increase of power with current was observed. Stable fundamental transverse mode operation was obtained up to 100 mW emitted power.
We report on the fabrication and performance characteristics of (GaAs)3/(AlAs)1 short-period superlattices (SPSs) quantum well lasers emitting at 737 nm. The SPSs consists of eight periods of 3 and 1 ML of GaAs and AlAs, respectively. The (GaAs)m/(AlAs)n SPSs have many advantages over their equivalent AlGaAs alloy counterparts. The broad area threshold current density, Jth, for 500 micrometers long lasers is 510 A cm-2. The 500 micrometers -long ridge waveguide lasers have a threshold current of 48 mA with a characteristic temperature of 68 K in the temperature range 19 to 60 degree(s)C. The external differential quantum efficiency near threshold is 0.58 mW/mA/facet. The devices lase in a single mode with spectral width within the resolution limit of the spectrometer.
We report the fabrication and performance of (InAs)1 /(GaAs)4 short-period superlattices (SPS) strained quantum-well lasers emiuing near 1 jim. The (InAs)1 /(GaAs)4 superlattices is an ordered counterpart of 'NO.2Ga8As random alloy, and provides an alternative method of fabricating high speed electronic and photonic devices. The 0.96-mm-long devices have lased with a broad area threshold current density of 100 A cm 2 The 250-p.m long ridge waveguide lasers fabricated on the same wafer have a threshold current of 10 mA, an external differential quantum efficiency of 0.35 mW/mA/facet and have operated to a temperature of 200°C with a characteristic temperature
T0 = l75K in the 2O°C to 8O°C range.
Very low threshold current density (<50A cm-2, close to the theoretical limit), high quantum efficiency, high power output, low temperature sensitivity, and higher pumping efficiency of 0.98 µm wavelength InGaAs strained quantum well lasers, and very low amplifier noise close to the 3 dB quantum limit have made the 0.98 µm wavelength as the best choice for pumping Er3+-doped fiber amplifiers. Like any other semiconductor laser, these lasers also degrade, but no failure mode specific to these lasers has been observed despite a compressive strain of 1-3 x 10+10 dynes/cm2 in the active QW region. On the contrary, these lasers have immunity to sudden failure and for reasons discussed in the text they show signs of longer lifetimes than their AlGaAs/GaAs counterparts. We expect the 0.98 µm laser reliability to improve in the near future to a level comparable to any other types of semiconductor laser. Narrow far field, high power output in the fundamental transverse mode centered at 0.98 ± 0.005 µm, planarity of the structure for ease of mounting and better heat sinking, and long lifetimes are the major laser structure design considerations.
The defect reduction schemes in GaAs-on-Si such as: (1) Optimization of initial nucleation
process; (2) inserting strained-layer superlattices for dislocation filtering; (3) thermal
annealing, both in-situ and ex-situ; and (4) growth patterning are briefly reviewed and new
data are presented. Spatially resolved photoluminescence (SRPL) images show that the
material quality is significantly better when the (100) Si substrates are misoriented towards
(oil) as compared to growth on (100) substrate or when the misorientation is towards (001).
The post growth patterning to <15 jtm X 15 m patterns combined with thermal annealing
at 850° C for > 15 mm eliminates the dark line defects in SRPL images and markedly reduces
the thermally induced biaxial tensile stress in GaAs-on-Si. The technique is ideal for growth
and fabrication of AlGaAs-GaAs vertical cavity surface emitting lasers on Si. In edge
emitting lasers, where post-growth patterning alone does not significantly reduces the stress
due to large cavity length, the tensile stress can be fully or over compensated by introduction
of a compensating stress from a thermally deposited SiO2 layer. With the reduction of stress,
stability of the lasers has been found to improve.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.