Recent advances in development of vertical-cavity based short pulse source at 1.55 μm

Abstract

This paper reviews and discusses recent developments in passively mode-locked vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (ML-VECSELs) for short pulse generation at 1.55 µm. After comparing ML-VECSELs to other options for short pulse generation, we reviewed the results of ML-VECSELs operating at telecommunication wavelength and point out the challenges in achieving sub-picosecond operation from a ML-VECSEL at 1.55 µm. We described our recent work in the VECSELs and semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs), their structure design, optimization and characterization, with the goal of moving the pulse width from picosecond to sub-picosecond.

Keywords

semiconductor laser / vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) / indium phosphide / heat dissipation / saturable absorber mirror / mode-locking

References

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Jean Decobert of Alcatel Thales 3-5lab for fruitful discussions and for the epitaxy of the InP-based active region in the VECSEL structure. Part of this work has been funded by Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) in the framework of TONICS project. Z. Zhao was financially supported by China Scholarship Council for this work. LPN is a member of RENATECH national network of large micro-nanofabrication facilities.

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