SOA based fiber ring laser with Fiber Bragg Grating

Abstract

AbstractA semiconductor optical amplifier fiber ring laser (SOAFRL) utilizing a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) is demonstrated. The laser operates at a wavelength of 1547.64 nm, equal to the Bragg wavelength. By removing FBG, the SOAFRL shows a multi‐modes output due to the resonant characteristics of the semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA's) gain. The output power ripple is observed around 5 dB. The experimental results show that when the saturation level is reached, the SOAFRL with the FBG shows a higher saturation current and peak power compared to that of the SOAFRL without the FBG. Mode competition in the cavity for the free‐running ring SOAFRL results in a lower peak power as well as a broader bandwidth as the current is increased. By incorporating the FBG in the SOAFRL, a lasing wavelength is generated and as such the side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of the laser is significantly improved, resulting in a higher peak power at higher bias currents. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 3101–3103, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23895