Development of Ultra-broadband Wavelength Tunable Semiconductor Lasers

超宽带波长可调谐半导体激光器的研制

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-06907
• 负责人: Li, Xun
• 金额: $ 2.84万
• 依托单位: McMaster University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=752172
• 关键词: Development; Ultra; broadband; Wavelength; Tunable

Wavelength tunable semiconductor laser is the heart of the next generation optical transport networks where wavelength routing and addressing serve as core functions. In widely deployed wavelength division multiplexed fiber-optic telecommunication systems as well as in advanced data transmission systems, tunable lasers are much wanted as the backup source for saving the cost and solving complicated issues involved in multiple wavelength laser inventory. Chip level optical interconnects for computer data exchange relies on tunable lasers to establish full connections among nodes or cores, as the cross-link topology can be greatly simplified with wavelength added as an extra dimension. Sophisticated LiDAR systems, especially in driverless cars, need tunable lasers to gain more accuracy and to secure their functioning in adverse weather conditions. In sensor applications for medical and security purposes, and in optical measurement systems, tunable lasers enable wavelength scanning hence the system performance can be greatly enhanced in many aspects. Conventional approaches to change the lasing wavelength are all based on tuning the material refractive index. A major problem with these approaches, however, lies in their narrow tuning ranges, for the fact that the material refractive index can hardly be tuned beyond 1%. An elegant technology to expand the tuning range is to exploit the Vernier effect. However, the tuning is quasi-continuous with an even more serious issue rooted from the non-monotonic dependence of the lasing wavelength on the tuning force, which makes the searching of a proper bias combination for a required lasing wavelength lengthy and tedious. The objective of the proposed research program is to develop ultra-broadband wavelength tunable semiconductor lasers with completely new tuning methodologies. The fundamental difference in the proposed approach is to perform tuning by changing the properties of the optical wave, rather than by changing the properties of the material. Examples of changing wave properties for the tuning purpose include rotating the field polarization status, or steering the beam angle, or altering the degenerate status of the wave distribution. By exploiting the material anisotropicity and structural asymmetry, we aim at forcing the wave to experience significant effective index changes that will lead to a wavelength tuning range beyond 100 nm in a continuous and monotonic fashion. The concept that this research program will establish, the structure that it will invent, the device that it will demonstrate, and the knowledge through which we will acquire, will not only prompt the development of tunable lasers, but will also benefit a number of Canadian companies in relevant areas, such as Enablence, Lumentum/Oclaro (Canada), Ciena (Canada), and Huawei (Canada). The program will also generate a stream of highly skilled and much needed graduate students for Canadian industry.

波长可调的半导体激光器是下一代光传输网络的核心，波长路由和地址为核心函数。在广泛部署的波长多路复用光纤电信系统以及高级数据传输系统中，可调激光器非常需要作为节省成本和解决多个波长激光库存中的复杂问题的备用来源。计算机数据交换的芯片级光学互连依赖于可调激光器来在节点或核心之间建立完整的连接，因为可以使用添加的波长作为额外的维度来大大简化交联拓扑。精致的LiDAR系统，尤其是在无人驾驶汽车中，需要可调激光器才能获得更准确性并在不利天气条件下确保其功能。在用于医疗和安全目的的传感器应用中，在光学测量系统中，可调激光器启用波长扫描，因此在许多方面可以大大提高系统性能。改变激光波长的常规方法都是基于调整材料折射率的基础。然而，这些方法的一个主要问题在于它们的狭窄调整范围，因为材料折射率几乎不可能被调谐到1％以上。扩大调音范围的优雅技术是利用游标效果。但是，调整是准连续的，更严重的问题源于激光波长对调谐力的非单调依赖性，这使得搜索适当的偏置组合，以实现所需的激光波长长度长而乏味。拟议的研究计划的目的是开发具有全新调整方法的超宽波长可调半导体激光器。提出的方法的基本差异是通过更改光波的性质进行调整，而不是通过更改材料的性质。调谐目的更改波性能的示例包括旋转场极化状态或转向束角或改变波分布的退化状态。通过利用材料各向异性和结构不对称性，我们旨在迫使波浪经历重大的有效指数变化，这将导致以连续且单调的方式导致超过100 nm的波长调整范围。该研究计划将确定它将发明的结构，将展示的设备以及我们将获得的知识的概念，不仅会促使可调激光的开发，而且还会使许多在相关领域的加拿大公司受益，例如Enerce，Lumentum/lumentum/oclaro（加拿大），加拿大（加拿大）（加拿大），以及加拿大（加拿大），加拿大（加拿大）。该计划还将为加拿大行业生成一系列高技能和急需的研究生。