OFC2002

14xx nm DFB InGaAsP/InP pump lasers with 500 mw CW output power for WDM combining
D. Garbuzov, I. Kudryashov, A. Tsekoun*, A. Komissarov, W. Roff, M. Maiorov, R. Menna, A. Lunev and J. Connolly
Princeton Lightwave Inc., 2601 U.S. Route 130 S, Cranbury, NJ 08512, U.S.A. Phone: (609) 925-8103; Fax: (609) 409-7022; e-mail: dgarbuzov@princetonlightwave.com * Contractor from Sarnoff Corporation, Princeton, NJ 08540, U.S.A.

Abstract: We have demonstrated 14xx nm InGaAsP/InP DFB diode pump lasers with record C W chip power levels of 500 mW and ex-fiber/module power levels of 300 mW. Pump radiation from two 14xx nm DFB lasers differing in wavelength by 16 nm has been combined in one SM fiber with an efficiency exceeding 90%.
2000 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (140.2020) Diode lasers; (140.4480) Optical amplifiers; (999.9999) 14xx nm pump lasers

1. Introduction We previously reported output power levels of 1 W for 14xx nm InGaAsP/InP single-mode pump Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers [1]. More recently, we have demonstrated high power (P>400 mW) 1550 nm and 1310 nm distributed feedback (DFB) lasers [2, 3]. In this paper, we present the results on 14xx nm DFB lasers designed for operation in high performance Raman optical amplifiers. The main advantage of Raman amplifiers is their broad-bandwidth gain where the shape of the gain/wavelength band is determined by emission wavelengths of individual lasers comprising the pumping system. In order to combine the output of conventional Fabry-Perot pumping lasers of different wavelengths in a single fiber, their spectra should be first narrowed and stabilized using Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technique. The necessity to use Bragg grating fibers increases the overall cost of the pumping system, and prevents future monolithic integration of multiple pump lasers on a single chip. In contrast to conventional FP diode lasers, DFB lasers do not require FBG stabilization and have a potential for monolithic integration in a single chip/module. Another advantage of DFB lasers is the considerable reduction of low frequency noise that is especially important for co-pumping Raman amplifiers. 2. Laser structures and device Fabrication The multiple quantum well (MQW) DFB ridge waveguide structures were grown in two growth steps. First, a base structure, which includes the strained MQW active region and an etch-stop layer after the InGaAsP grating layer, were grown using conventional growth techniques. The strained MQW region was optimized to obtain high slope efficiency for long cavity devices. First-order Bragg gratings were fabricated on the grating layer using holographic photolithography in conjunction with conventional reactive ion etching (RIE). After defining the grating in the epitaxial structure, the wafer was placed back in the MOCVD system for the second growth step. In the second growth step, the laser structure is completed by growing the p -InP cladding layer over the grating layer followed by the p-InGaAs contact layer. The grating position and its corresponding tooth height were designed to provide product L 1, where is the grating coupling coefficient and L is the cavity length. Lateral mode confinement was provided by a dual-channel ridge waveguide (RWG) structure. Single-mode operation for lasers with a ridge width of 3 4 m was maintained by accurate control of the channel etch depth with the use of a grown-in etch-stop layer in the laser structure. RWG lasers incorporating a dual-channel structure were fabricated using conventional photolithography, in conjunction with chemical etching and standard metallization techniques. All measurements were performed on diode lasers with 2-mm cavity lengths with high-reflective and anti-reflective coatings. The lasers were mounted p side down using Au-Sn eutectic solder on AlN submounts, which were then soldered onto copper C -blocks. The C blocks with AlN-mounted devices were attached to a liquid-cooled copper heatsink maintained at 20C. 3. Characterization Results The DFB lasers where fabricated from two wafers providing the room temperature Fabry-Perot gain at 1425 and 1442 nm, respectively. The gratings periods were selected to provide DFB operation at emission wavelengths near threshold of 1427 nm and 1442 nm, respectively.

The laser far-field exhibits a fast axis full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) divergence of 30 independent of drive current, while the slow axis FWHM divergence shows a modest increase with operating current from 7 at threshold to 13 at 1.6 A. Analysis of P-I characteristics and spectra of the DFB lasers shows that the DFB devices can be separated into three distinct operating groups which we call A, B, and C. The overall device yield ratio for the wafers tested is about 2:3:5. Thus, during the selection process from one-hundred (100) chips we would yield fifty (50) Group C chips, thirty (30) Group B chips and twenty (20) Group A chips.

Fig. 1a. P-I Characteristics and spectra from 2 mm long cavity DFB lasers operating at 20 C.

Fig. 1b. Current-induced spectrum shift for 1430 nm lasers with a 2 mm long cavity. Spectrum behavior for SF DFB, MF DFB, and FP is shown

The unique characteristic of group C DFB lasers is the observation of kinks in the P-I curves which are associated with changes in the character of their spectral behavior. On the other hand, DFB lasers from groups A and B, whose main parameters will be considered below, display smooth P-I characteristics (Fig. 1a), but exhibit widely different spectral characteristics. Group A devices operate single frequency (SF) with a side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) better than 60 dB up to maximum output power which is about 500 mW for the very best devices (Fig. 1a). More typical maximum power levels for 1427 nm and 1443 nm SF DFBs are in the 400450 mW range. Group B multi-frequency (MF) DFB lasers display power levels similar to those from group A. The mode spacing for MF DFB lasers is about 4 , or about three times larger than mode spacing normally observed in conventional FP lasers. The number of the modes observed within a 60 dB intensity range increases from 3 -4 near threshold to 10-12 at maximum power levels. Corresponding current induced wavelength shift curves for both SF and MF DFBs are shown in Figure 1b. The plotted data for the MF DFB laser are the peak values of the wavelength emission envelope. The rate of spectrum shift for both types of DFB lasers is about 0.03 /mW, which is 6 times less than that for similar FP lasers. Temperature measurements clearly demonstrate spectrum stabilization for both types of DFB l asers. Rate of the temperature line shift is about 1 /C, while 5.5 /C for is observed for similar FP devices. SF mode operation was observed up to 75 C and about 50% output power reduction was observed at 1A drive current and 60C. An exponential fit of the temperature dependence of threshold current yields a characteristic temperature (T0 ) of 71 which is typical for 14xx nm diode lasers. Fibers with a conventional lensed input end, as well as a simple aspherical lens pair (GelTech), have been used for laser radiation coupling into SMF-28 fiber. Despite the large aspect ratio of the laser beam, in both cases about 70% coupling efficiency has been achieved. Figure 2 shows both the chip and ex-fiber P-I characteristics for a 1427 nm DFB laser coupled with lensed fiber. One can see a modest increase in fiber coupling efficiency with increasing drive current. This increase is associated with current-induced widening of the slow axis optical field distribution, leading to an improved aspect ratio for the device. The 300 mW ex-fiber CW SF power has been achieved at 1.6 A. The narrow linewidth along with a weak dependence of the line position on current from these devices make them excellent candidates for WDM pump combining. For this purpose, we used a WavePump pump laser

combiner commercially available from WaveSplitter Technologies, Inc. One of the combiner ports was coupled with a 1427 nm SF DFB laser that had ex-fiber P -I characteristic similar to that shown in Fig. 2. The ex-fiber power of the 1 443 nm SF DFB laser, coupled with second combiner port, was 15% lower than that of the 1427 nm source. When measuring combiner output power (Fig. 3), equal drive current was maintained for both lasers. The output power of 500 mW has been reached at the current of 1.6 A for each laser. An example of the dual wavelength output spectrum is shown in the inset of Fig. 3. The combiner efficiency was calculated as a ratio of the ex-fiber powers before and after combiner. As seen in of Fig. 3, the combiner efficiency is about to 90% throughout the entire drive current range. The result observed here shows excellent agreement with the spectral window of the WDM combiner (FWHM of ~10 nm at the 3 dB level) is considerably wider than the current induced wavelength shift from the DFB emitters (Fig 2). Thus, we believe the goal of achieving several watts of total optical power in one SM fiber in the 1420-1500 nm spectral range is possible using the DFB lasers described above, together with conventional polarization and wavelength combiners.

Fig. 2. Ex-facet and ex-fiber output characteristics for 1427 nm 2 mm long cavity SF DFB laser (solid lines). Fiber coupling efficiency is shown by the dashed line

Fig. 3. Output power from the wavelength combiner as function of the drive current for each of the pump lasers. Fiber coupling efficiency is shown by the dashed line. The dual wavelength output spectrum is shown in the inset

5.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have demonstrated 14xx nm DFB pump InGaAsP/InP ridge waveguide lasers with a record CW chip power level of 500 mW and ex-fiber or module power of 300 mW. Narrow emission line with very weak current/temperature peak position dependence allows us to use conventional wavelength multiplexing techniques to combine output of DFB pumps with different wavelengths into one SM fiber. Outputs from two 14xx nm DFB lasers with wavelengths differing by 16 nm have been combined in one SM fiber with efficiencies close to 90%, thereby producing a total 14xx nm power level of 500 mW. References
[1]. D. Garbuzov, R. Menna, A. Komissarov, M. Maiorov, V. Khalfin, A. Tsekoun, S. Todorov, J. Connolly 1400 1480 nm ridge wavelength pump lasers with 1 watt CW output power for EDFA and Raman amplification, Optical Fiber Communication Conference postdeadline papers, OSA Technical Digest Series, PD18 (Optical Society of America, Washington, D.C., 2001) [2]. R. Menna, A. Komissarov, M. Maiorov, V. Khalfin, L. DiMarco, J. Connolly and D. Garbuzov, High Power 1550 nm Distributed Feedback Lasers with 440 mW CW Output Power for Telecommunication Applications, Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics postdeadline papers, CPD12-1, (IEEE/LEOS and OSA, 2001) [3]. R. Menna, A. Komissarov, M. Maiorov, V. Khalfin, A. Tsekoun, S. Todorov, J. Connolly and D. Garbuzov, High Power single spatial and longitudinal mode 1310 nm InGaAsP/InP lasers with 450 mW CW output power for telecommunication applications, 27th European Conference on Optical Communication, Tu.B.1.6, (IEEE/LEOS and EUREL, 2001)