Polarization sensitivity of the amplification in semiconductor optical amplifiers

Taco D. Visser; Daan Lenstra; Hans Blok

doi:10.1117/12.275612

6 June 1997 Polarization sensitivity of the amplification in semiconductor optical amplifiers

Taco D. Visser, Daan Lenstra, Hans Blok

Proceedings Volume 2994, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices V; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.275612
Event: Photonics West '97, 1997, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

There are two main reasons which explain why in a semiconductor laser amplifier the amplification can depend on the state of polarization: (1) Waveguiding can give rise to an amplification that differs for TE polarization and for TM polarization. This can happen even if the confinement to the active layer is comparable for the two polarization states. (2) The interaction process between light and matter in a quantum well is, in general, anisotropic. This is because the electrons are confined in only one direction. So the response to an electromagnetic field will have a tensor character, rather than a scalar. We analyze these two causes and show how they can be balanced, so that the desired polarization amplification can be achieved.

Citation Download Citation

Taco D. Visser, Daan Lenstra, and Hans Blok "Polarization sensitivity of the amplification in semiconductor optical amplifiers", Proc. SPIE 2994, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices V, (6 June 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.275612

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