A. Gahl and S. Balle

Influence of the Confinement Factor on the Wavelength-Dependent Output Properties of a Tapered Traveling Wave Semiconductor Amplifier

We analyze the influence of the confinement factor on the
output properties of a tapered traveling wave semiconductor
amplifier as a function of the wavelength of the input
field and current injected into the amplifier. The
interaction of the optical field with the amplifying medium
is described by means of a susceptibility function taking
into account both the gain and the carrier-induced
anti-guiding effect, while the beam propagation method is
used to describe the evolution of the field along the
amplifier. We find that, for the same input power, devices
with lower optical confinement factors allow for the same
output optical power with better beam quality and higher
saturation power than devices with higher optical
confinement factor, in agreement with the available
experimental results.

ps file, 380 kB

Date published: 1999
Journal: Photonics Technology Letters
Volume: 11
Page: 1375-1377

Publications

Nonlinear Science and Statistical Physics Photonics