Line-by-Line Pulse-Shaping at GHz Modulation Frequencies With an Injection-Locked VCSEL Array

Abstract

A 12-channel linear vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array emitting at ~1540 nm is used as a modulator array for rapid-update ultrashort pulse shaping. Each VCSEL is injection locked with an individual comb line from a 12.5-GHz optical frequency comb. Pulse shaping is achieved by modulating the current to each VCSEL. Two regimes are demonstrated: 1) static pulse shapes, where the dc bias to the array is set to generate some of the canonical pulse shapes and 2) dynamic pulse shapes, where the currents to the array are modulated at frequencies up to 3.125 GHz, and the resultant pulse shapes change on a sub-ns timescale.