Development of frequency comb generation by spectral broadening of periodic optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers

Abstract

This paper reports an approach for generating an ultra-flat and ultra-wide optical frequency comb by exploiting gain modulation, experienced by a periodic third ordered Gaussian-shaped optical pulse propagating through the semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The gain experienced by optical signal propagating inside SOA is independent of its polarization state and phase, makes the technique more favorable and stable to the optical frequency comb generation. This paper reports a 94-line optical frequency comb with 5 dB maximum power deviation and a 190-line optical frequency comb with 10 dB maximum power deviation.