Semiconductor optical amplifiers operated as modulators with high extinction

摘要

Semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) have been demonstrated which operate as modulators at 780/808 nm with high output powers, excellent extinction, and narrow linewidths. Using an ECL laser as a seed laser in a MOPA configuration, extinction ratios >30 dB were observed. By utilizing both a reverse bias to improve the extinction ratio and pulsed forward drive to modulate the amplifier, output powers of >10 mW were demonstrated at high extinction.