Chirp in Actively Modelocked Diode Lasers

Abstract

Modelocked semiconductor lasers are used widely in applications requiring picosecond optical pulses. In optical communications, modelocked InGaAsP devices have opened new possibilities for multigigabit-per-second long-distance transmission.1 Although much progress continues in producing shorter pulses at higher repetition rates, relatively little is known about the time-resolved (dynamic) spectra2 of modelocked devices.3 In this paper we present some of the first detailed chirp measurements of an actively-modelocked diode laser.