We present detailed numerical simulations of the laser dynamics that describe optical frequency comb formation by injection-locking a gain-switched laser. The typical rate equations for semiconductor lasers including stochastic carrier recombination and spontaneous emission suffice to show the injection-locking behavior of gain switched lasers, and we show how the optical frequency comb evolves starting from the free-running state, right through the final injection-locked state. Unlike the locking of continuous wave lasers, we show that the locking range for gain switched lasers is considerably greater because injection locking can be achieved by injecting at frequencies close to one of the comb lines. The quality of the comb lines is formally assessed by calculating the frequency modulation (FM)-noise spectral density and we show that under injection-locking conditions the FM-noise spectral density of the comb lines tend to that of the maser laser.
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25 May 2015
Research Article|
May 28 2015
Numerical investigation into the injection-locking phenomena of gain switched lasers for optical frequency comb generation
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On-Chip Mid-Infrared and THz Frequency Combs for Spectroscopy
Sean P. Ó Dúill;
Sean P. Ó Dúill
a)
The RINCE Institute,
Dublin City University
, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland
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Prince M. Anandarajah;
Prince M. Anandarajah
The RINCE Institute,
Dublin City University
, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland
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Rui Zhou;
Rui Zhou
The RINCE Institute,
Dublin City University
, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland
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Liam P. Barry
Liam P. Barry
The RINCE Institute,
Dublin City University
, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland
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a)
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Electronic mail: sean.oduill@dcu.ie
Appl. Phys. Lett. 106, 211105 (2015)
Article history
Received:
March 27 2015
Accepted:
May 18 2015
Citation
Sean P. Ó Dúill, Prince M. Anandarajah, Rui Zhou, Liam P. Barry; Numerical investigation into the injection-locking phenomena of gain switched lasers for optical frequency comb generation. Appl. Phys. Lett. 25 May 2015; 106 (21): 211105. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4921852
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