title: Characteristics and instabilities of mode-locked quantum-dot diode lasers.
abstract: Current pulse measurement methods have proven inadequate to fully understand the characteristics of passively mode-locked quantum-dot diode lasers. These devices are very difficult to characterize because of their low peak powers, high bandwidth, large time-bandwidth product, and large timing jitter. In this paper, we discuss the origin for the inadequacies of current pulse measurement techniques while presenting new ways of examining frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) data to provide insight into the operation of these devices. Under the assumptions of a partial coherence model for the pulsed laser, it is shown that simultaneous time-frequency characterization is a necessary and sufficient condition for characterization of mode-locking. Full pulse characterization of quantum dot passively mode-locked lasers (QD MLLs) was done using FROG in a collinear configuration using an aperiodically poled lithium niobate waveguide-based FROG pulse measurement system.
authors.affiliation: Center for High Technology Materials, The University of New Mexico, 1313 Goddard SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Luke F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Langrock
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fejer
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kane
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012542:Scattering, Radiation