Semiconductor optical amplifiers

• US 20040196540A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Crow, Gavin Christopher, Lealman, Ian Francis
• Application Number:
  US10/376,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/344
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02251 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2206 based on III-V materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/227 Buried mesa structure ; Striped active layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3403 having a strained layer structure in which the strain performs a special function, e.g. general strain effects, strain versus polarisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34313 with a well layer having only As as V-compound, e.g. AlGaAs, InGaAs
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34366 based on InGa(Al)AS
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/50 Amplifier structures not provided for in groups H01S5/02 - H01S5/30

Abstract

A semiconductor optical amplifier has the materials and dimensions of its waveguide chosen to obtain, at an intended working wavelength (say the C band), a confinement factor of less than 0.06 for the most confined mode and mode field diameters in the range from about 3 to about 4 μm for the fundamental T_E and T_M modes, based on a 1/e mode field boundary, whereby the semiconductor optical amplifier can be readily coupled to a tensed optical fiber without requiring a mode expander or additional optics.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a semiconductor optical amplifier in which the electro-optically active core is constructed as a strained superlattice, as a surprising result of which the manufacturing tolerances in respect of compositions and dimensions required to obtain an acceptably small polarization-dependent gain are substantially less demanding than in the case of a bulk-strained active core.

Claims

8-1. An assembly comprising a semiconductor optical amplifier as claimed in claim 1 and at least one lensed optical fiber directly coupled to the semiconductor optical amplifier without a mode expander.

9. A semiconductor optical amplifier comprising an optical waveguide;

an electro-optically active core within the waveguide; and

electrodes for supplying electric current to said electro-optically active core to establish population inversion between energy levels therein enabling amplification of a light signal passing through the waveguide, wherein the materials and dimensions of the waveguide are chosen to obtain, at an intended working wavelength, a confinement factor of less than 0.06 for the most confined mode and mode field diameters in the range from about 3 to about 4 μ

m for the fundamental T_E and T_M modes, based on a 1/e mode field boundary, whereby the semiconductor optical amplifier can be readily coupled to a lensed optical fiber without requiring a mode expander.

10. An assembly comprising a semiconductor optical amplifier comprising an optical waveguide;

an electro-optically active core within the waveguide; and

electrodes for supplying electric current to said electro-optically active core to establish population inversion between energy levels therein enabling amplification of a light signal passing through the waveguide, wherein the materials and dimensions of the waveguide are chosen to obtain, at an intended working wavelength, a confinement factor of less than 0.06 for the most confined mode and mode field diameters in the range from about 3 to about 4 μ

m for the fundamental T_E and T_M modes, based on a 1/e mode field boundary, and at least one lensed optical fiber directly coupled to the semiconductor optical amplifier without a mode expander.