SBIR-STTR Award

Current fiber optic links designed for high dynamic range applicati ons use distributed-feedback (DFB) semiconductor lasers that only operate over a narrow temperature range. Thermoelectric coolers are ordinarily required to maintain the laser within the operating temperature range. This limitation translates into cost, size, complexity and power consumption that are too high for many applications such as phased arrays, wireless communication and broadband communication systems. Today's DFB lasers do not maintain single frequency operation, which is crucial for low noise operation, over a wide temperature range. We propose a program to study Multi-Quantum-Well (MQW) laser which will lead to a wide temperature range DFB laser that will operate from -40 to 85 degrees C without a thermoelectric cooler. The performance capability of a DFB laser rather than a Fabry-Perot laser is needed in high dynamic range applications, especially those that require fiber lengths exceeding a few kilometers. The program objectives include establishing quantum well designs to achieve optical gain characteristics that permit a DFB laser to operate over a wide temperature range, modeling to predict dynamic range performance, and fabrication and measurement of laser structures based on these designs. designs which will lead to a wide temperature range DFB laser that will operate from -40.

Keywords:
Photonics Distributed Feedback Lasers Multi-Quantum Well Semiconductor Lasers Fiber Optics

Current fiber optic links designed for high dynamic range applications use distributed-feedback (DFB) semiconductor lasers that only operate over a narrow temperature range. Thermoelectric coolers are ordinarily required to maintain the laser within the operating temperature range. This limitation translates into cost, size, complexity, and power consumption that are too high for many appplications such as phased arrays, wireless communication, and broadband communication systems. Today's DFB lasers do not maintain single frequency operation, which is crucial for low noise operation, over a wide temperature range.We propose a program to develop high dynamic range Multi-Quantum-Well (MQW) distrubited-feedback (DFB) lasers which operate from -40 degress celcius to 85 degrees celcius without a termoelectric cooler. The performance capability of a DFB laser rather than a Febry-Perot laser is needed in high dynamnic range applications, especially those that require fiber lengths exceeding a few kilometers. The program tasks include fabricating quantum well lasers according to the designs established in Phase 1, device characterization and comparison with theory, insertion of the new laser device into an anolog fiber optic link, reliability studies, and hardware delivery.

Keywords:
Photonics Fiber Optics Antenna Remoting Multi-Quantum Well Semiconductor Laser Distributed-Fe