Injection Laser Wavelength-Dependent Timing Jitter Reduction of Gain-Switched Single-Mode VCSELs

Abstract

We report the effect of an external injection laser wavelength on reducing the timing jitter of optical pulses generated from gain-switched single-mode 1.5-μm vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs). Simultaneous timing jitter reduction, pulse width shortening, and spectral linewidth narrowing without any peak power penalty were observed when the injection laser wavelength was tuned near the spectral peak of the free-running VCSELs spectrum operating in a continuous wave mode. The timing jitter was reduced up to 40% of that without any injection.