Abstract: Tunable semiconductor lasers continue to be in just about everyones list of important components for future fiber optic

networks. Various designs will be overviewed with particular emphasis on the widely tunable (>32nm) types.

Tunable Semiconductor Lasers

a tutorial

Larry A. Coldren
University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
coldren@ece.ucsb.edu

Agility Communications, Santa Barbara, CA

lcoldren@agility.com

Contents

Why Tunable Lasers? Basic Tuning Mechanisms Examples of Tunable Lasers Control of the Wavelength Reliability Issues

Optical Network Architecture

Core

More bandwidth and services/$ Low-cost components and agile architectures

Edge

Introduction

Tunable lasers have been of great interest for some time

Dynamic networks with wavelength reconfigurability One time provisioning (OTP) and sparing seen as side benefits
Networking flexibility Reduced cost

Current market conditions.

More cautious approach from carriers and system vendors OTP and sparing are now the leading applications

Tunable lasers are compared with DFB or EML

Important to do apples to apples comparison
Functionality Performance Total Cost of Ownership

Why Tunable Lasers?

One time provisioninginventory and sparing Field re-provisioningnew services without hardware change or truck roll Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (ROADM) Drop and add any channel without demux/mux Wavelength conversionEliminates wavelength blocking without OEO line cards Photonic SwitchingEliminates many OEO line cards Wavelength RoutingUse passive optical core

Applications One time provisioningthe universal source

Laser is provisioned once only Simplifies manufacturing Drastically reduces inventory Minimizes sparing to a manageable level Simplifies forecasting

Applications Re-provisioning

Laser is provisioned many times remotely to set up new services

Seconds timeframe Point and click or ultimately controlled automatically by software

Can only be addressed using a widely tunable laser

Without severe constraints

Drastically reduces inventory Simplifies forecasting

Applications Re-configurable OADM

Tunable filter elements

in

thru

out

drop Rx

add
Tunable Tx

Drop and Add without Demux and Mux of all channels Must be hitless filter tuning Eliminates mux/demux and OEO Tunable lasers are a key enabler

Applications Photonic Switching 1

1 LR Rx SR Tx 2 3 LR Tx SR Rx 4 5 Grey Optics 8 7 6

OR

Rx Tx

4 5 6

Tunable

Photonic switches require O-E-O on I/O to prevent blocking Tunability reduces O-E-O requirements in half Requires moderately fast switching (ms)

10

Applications Wavelength Conversion

Intersection of metro rings Wavelengths transition between rings

in optical domain

Tunable lasers used to resolve wavelength blocking

Alternative is a bank of fixed wavelength lasers

Node 3B

Node 4B

Node 4R

Node 3R

Node 2B

Node 1B

Node 1R

Node 2R

Rx Tx

11

Applications Wavelength Routing

(Optical Packet Switching)
Line cards with Tunable lasers
Tx

Line cards

NxN Lambda Router (AWG)

High capacity, high density router functionneed wide tuning Wavelength used to route traffic through passive device For Packets requires very fast switching

12

Contents

Why Tunable Lasers? Basic Tuning Mechanisms Examples of Tunable Lasers Control of the Wavelength Reliability Issues

13

Generic Single-Frequency Laser

Gain Mode-selection filter Output

Mirror-1 Gain Mode-selection filter Lasing mode

Mirror-2

m/2 = nL

Possible modes

14

Examples of Single-Frequency Lasers

DFB
All-elements combined and distributed along length

gain Light Out DFB Gain Grating (mode-selection

& distributed mirror)

Gain region HR Rear Mirror

AR

DBR
Elements separated with individual biases

Light Out DBR Gain Light Out AR Ext. grating mirror

External Cavity
Gain block + external lens & grating

Collimating lens

VCSEL
Short cavity for mode selection

Active DBR mirrors

Light Out

15

How Tunable Lasers Tune

Mode wavelength:

m/2 = nL
Mode number Wavelength

Effective Cavity length

Effective index

Relative change in wavelength: = n + L - m n L m

Tuned by net cavity index change

Tuned by mode-selection filter (via index or grating angle)

Tuned by physical length change

16

Generic Tunable Single-Frequency Laser

Gain Cavity phase (n) Mirror-1 Modeselection filter (m) Tunable output (L) Mirror-2

m/2 = nL
Gain Mode-selection filter (m) Lasing mode Possible modes(n, L)

17

Solutions for Tunable Lasers

DBR Lasers
Conventional DBR (<8 nm) Extended Tuning DBRs ( 32 nm)

Gain Phase Rear Mirror Light Out DBR

External Cavity Lasers ( 32 nm)

Littman-Metcalf/MEMs Thermally tuned etalon
Light Out Light Out

MEMS Tunable VCSEL (< 32 nm)

Optically or electrically pumped

DFB Array (3-4 nm X #DFBs)

On-chip combiner + SOA Or, off-chip MEMs combiner Thermally tuned
NEC
MMI W in d o w SOA

W in d o w

8 M ic r o a r r a y D F B -L D s S -b e n t w a v e g u id e s

C h ip s iz e : 0 .4 x 2 .1 5 m m

18

Contents

Why Tunable Lasers? Basic Tuning Mechanisms Examples of Tunable Lasers Control of the Wavelength Reliability Issues

19

Examples of Tunable Lasers

Narrowly tunable (not discussed further) DFB selectable arrays

Temperature tuned DFBs ~ 3nm Narrowly tunable 2 or 3 section DBR lasers ~ 8nm Select DFB array element for coarse tuning + temperature tune for fine cavity mode tuning Integrated on-chip combiners + SOAs or off-chip MEMs deflectors External grating reflector for mode-selection filter Angle-tune mirror for mode selectioncoarse tuning Change length and/or phase section for fine tuning Move suspended top mirror by electrostatic or thermal tuning Single knob tuning for both coarse and fine Coarse tuning by index tuning of compound mirrors/couplers Fine tuning by index tuning of phase section Dual SGDBR or vertical-coupler + SGDBR mode selection filters

External-cavity lasers

MEMS Tunable VCSELs

Widely tunable DBR lasers

20

Wavelength-selectable light sources (WSLs) for wide-band DWDM applications

Window

Feature DFB-LD-array-based structure Wide-band tunability Compact & stable Multi- locker module Performance WSLs for S-, C-, L- bands (OFC02) Multi -locker integrated Wide-band WSL module (OFC02)
~ 40 nm (T = 45K)
8 array, ~ 16 nm (T = 25K) x 6 devices
MMI Window SOA 8 Microarray DFB-LDs S-bent waveguides

Chip size: 0.4 x 2.15 mm2

Schematic of wide-band WSL

Multi locker integrated Wide-band WSL module

21

WSLs for S-, C-, L- bands applications

- Lasing spectra 20 10 0 Intensity (dBm) -1 0 -2 0 -3 0 -4 0 -5 0 -6 0 -7 0 1470 1490 1510 1530 1550 W a ve le n g th (n m ) 1570 1590 1610 S S2 W a fe r 1 C1 C2 W a fe r 2 L1 L2 S -b a n d C -b a n d L -b a n d

16 nm (T 25K) @15 - 40 6 devices 135 channels @100-GHz ITU-T grid

SMSR > 42 dB Pf > 10 mW @ IDFB= 100 mA, ISOA= 200 mA

22

Fujitsu DFB Array Integrated Tunable Laser

0.5 1.8 mm

Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.

23

Fujitsu Wavelength Tuning Characteristics

Temperature tuning

Spectra at 32 wavelengths

Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.

24

Santur Switched DFB Array

1 mm

12 element DFB array, each temperature tuned 3nm for 36nm total tuning range only one laser on at a time MEMS mirror couples the selected laser to fiber Advantages: DFB characteristics (optical quality, reliability, wavelength stability) No SOA, tuning sections, phase-sensitive mechanics High yield, low cost passive alignment (MEMS does the rest) Built-in shutter/VOA

25

Santur 20 mW Module Performance

z z z z z

Full band tunability (36nm C-band, 42nm L-band) Built-in wavelength locker (25GHz channel spacing) >50dB SMSR, 2MHz linewidth Typical tuning time ~ 2sec Resistant to shock and vibe with no servo (10G causes < 0.2dB fluctuation in power)

26

Intel External-Cavity Approach

(acquired from New Focus)
Double sided external cavity laser design, well known in test and measurement applications Temperature tuned etalon replaces mechanical tuning device No moving parts, but challenging packaging requirements

27

Littman-Metcalf Cavity (after New Focus)

HR Coating Laser Diode Chip Collimating Lens

AR Coating

Retroreflector

Pivot Point Wavelength Tuning Laser Output

Diffraction Grating

28

Iolon External-Cavity Laser with MEMs Mirror Movement

29

Tunable VCSELs (optically pumped)

Cortek-Nortel-Bookham? Component technologies

MEMS Thin Film InP Laser Packaging

Advantages:
High Power Wide Tuning Range Continuously Tunable

30

31

Agere Narrowly Tunable DBR/SOA/EAM

EA-DBR Operation Tuning Current
High Low

Gain

Tuning

EA Modulator

Bragg mirror select FP mode Tuning current moves Bragg mirror

A Five Stage Bell Labs Design

Gain Section

DBR Mirror

Optical Amplifier

Detector Power Monitor

Modulator

Many more 7 10 nm designs

32

Extended tuning range: SSGDBR--NEL

Phase modulated gratings

33

Extended tuning range: GCSR--ADC-Altitun

SGDBR + GACC
Coupler 600m Phase 150m Reflector S-DBR
R e fle c to rc u rre n t [m A ]

Gain 400m

30 25 20 15 10 5 0
8 7 C o u p le rc u rre n t [m A ] 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1515 1525 1535 1545 1555 1565
1515 1525 1535 1545 1555 1565

900m

p-InP n-InP QWs structures g = 1.55 m g = 1.3 m g = 1.38 m

Wavelength [nm]

Agilitys Extended Tuning Range Technology: Widely Tunable SGDBR Lasers

35

Sampled Grating Tunable Lasers

Amplifier Front Mirror Gain Phase Rear Mirror
Relative Power (dB) Laser Emission, dBm
10 0 -1 0 -2 0 -3 0 -4 0
1 -5 0
B ack F ro n t

24 1

Light Out

5-10X Tuning Range of DBR Reliable, Manufacturable InP Technology Can Cover C band, L band or C + L
Mirror Reflectivity

0 .8 0 .6 0 .4 0 .2 0

1530

1540 1550 1560 W a v elen g th (n m )

1570

36

Advantages of Monolithic Integration

Widely Tunable SG-DBR Laser with integrated SOA and EAM
Modulator Amplifier Front Mirror Gain Phase Rear Mirror

Light Out

EA Modulator

SOA

SG-DBR Laser

Advantages: smaller space (fewer packages) lower cost (fewer package components) lower power consumption (lower coupling losses) high reliability (fewer parts)

37

Fast Wavelength Switching of SGDBR Lasers

Packet Switching Applications
100
Voltage Electronic Trigger
Optical signal at final ITU +/- ~10 GHz

Switching time = 10 ns

80

Light Power

Channel 50 off

Count

Channel 50 on

60

40

Light Power

Channel 10 on Channel 10 off

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

20

Time (ns)

0 0

10

SwitchingTime (ns)

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Current source rise time can be designed for application. Inherent laser limit is in ~ 2-10 ns range. Thermal transients can complicate rapid switching.

38

SG-DBR Laser with Integrated SOA

High Power Widely Tunable Laser:
20 Fiber Coupled Power (dBm) 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -40 1570 1580 1590 1600 Wavelength (nm) 1610 40 dB

13dBm

L-band

>100 50 GHz ITU Channels Fiber coupled power = 13dBm = 20mW SMSR > 40 dB SOA: Power leveling, blanking, and VOA w/o degradation of SMSR Channel switching time (software commandverified channel) < 10 ms

39

RIN & Linewidth Dependence on Power

RIN vs. SOA Current
-130 SOA Current -135 40 mA, 5.7 dBm 60 mA, 7.5 dBm 80 mA, 8.6 dBm 100 mA, 9.2 dBm 120 mA, 9.8 dBm 150 mA, 10.5 dBm

White FM Noise Density vs.

5 13 12 Output Power (dBm)

4 Linewidth (MHz)

11 3 10 2 9 1

RIN (dB/Hz)

-140

-145

-150 0 2000 4000 6000 Frequency (MHz) 8000 10000

7 0 1525 1530 1535 1540 1545 1550 1555 1560 1565 Wavelength (nm)

RIN is only weakly dependent on output power (SOA current). Linewidth is less than 2.5 MHz across all wavelengths
Scales with Laser Power as expected.

40

SGDBR-SOA-EAM Transmission Characteristics

error rate, dB
5 4 3
1540 nm

OC-48 Std. SMF 350 km

1528 nm

1560 nm

Dispersion Penalty @ 10

-10

2 1

275 km

PRBS 231-1 at 2.5 Gb/s 4th order BesselThomson filter SONET mask with 25% margin

200 km
0 1.53 1.54 1.55 1.56 1.57

1550 nm

Unfiltered 2.7 Gb/s

Wavelength, m

Dispersion penalty at 10-10 errors/s error rate for 200, 275, and 350 km of standard SMF for 38 ITU channels sampled across C-band.

41

SGDBR-SOA-EAM RF-ER, Pave, & VOA Operation

6 15 14 13 5 12 4.5 11 10

3 dBm
RF Extinction Ratio (dB)

~1550 nm

Time Averaged Power (dBm)

5.5

2 dB

0 dB

192

193

194

195

196

Optical Frequency (THz)

Ave. power >5 dBm and RF ER > 10 dB across C-band Output power dynamic range of ~10 dB w/ small change in SMSR and Wavelength (open loop operation)

-3 dB

42

OC-192 Operation of EAM

PRBS 231-1, Vp-p = 3V

Integration technology compatible with higher bit rates > 10 dB RF ER across C-band Not optimized, improvements to come

43

MZ-SGDBR (UCSB)
Curved waveguides 200m

MMI Length:96m Light Out Width: 9m Taper:20m

44

Extinction & Chirp: MZ-SGDBR (UCSB)

> 20 dB extinction with 2V drive
2

Chirp parameter as function of DC extinction curve for 550m

-5 0 -10
Alpha 1525nm Alpha 1545nm

Chirp Parameter

Negative chirp when increasing reverse bias turns on modulator

Insertion Loss (dB)

-15

-2 -20 -4 -25 -6

chirp =

neff ( real ) neff (imag )

2 L

Measured by the Devaux method

(Power (dBm) 1525nm Power (dBm) 1545nm

-30

-8 -4 -3.5 -3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0

-35

Arm #1 DC Bias (V)

45

MZ-SGDBR RF Performance: Lumped (UCSB)

BCB for low capacitance Lumped drive can improve with traveling wave electrodes

10Gbit/s Eye 1015-1 PRBS

Normalized S21

-2 -4 -6 -8

BCB

-4V Bias
0 5 10 15 Frequency (GHz) 20

46

Contents

Why Tunable Lasers? Basic Tuning Mechanisms Examples of Tunable Lasers Control of the Wavelength Reliability Issues

47

Control Issues

Finding the desired channel

Look-up tables vs. channel counting? Is global wavelength monitor required? Must look-up tables be updated over life?

Staying on the desired channel

Is locker required to meet spec? Is single knob control from locker sufficient over life?

48

Generic Tunable Single-Frequency Laser

Gain Cavity phase (n) Mirror-1 Modeselection filter (m) Tunable output (L) Mirror-2

m/2 = nL
Gain Mode-selection filter (m) Lasing mode Possible modes(n, L)

49

Control comparison across types

Laser coarse fine
T T I VML, I V*M1

Amplitude
Igain(j) Igain(j) ISOA Igain Igain

VOA
ISOA VM1, VM2(j) ISOA VMshutter
--------

DFB Array/SOA Varray(j) DFBs/MEMs VM1, VM2(j) SGDBR/SOA Ext. Cavity VCSEL/MEMs Im1, Im2 VM VM1

50

Iolon Control Scheme for Ext. Cavity Laser

51

Agility Control of SG-DBR Lasers

Control Circuitry

Wavelength Locking Mirror Control Power Control

DWDM DBR
Power Control Temperature Control(fixed) Wavelength Locking Mirror Control (Locking?) Light Out

SG-DBR
SOA Front Mirror Gain Phase Rear Mirror

DWDM DFB comparison

Power Control Temperature Control Wavelength Locking

52

Contents

Why Tunable Lasers? Basic Tuning Mechanisms Examples of Tunable Lasers Control of the Wavelength Reliability Issues

53

Wavelength Reliability
Its not enough to just put out the right power in a single mode for a long time (old criterion) Prior to end-of-life of a multi-channel DWDM source, power & wavelength must be in spec. Intimately linked to wavelength control (or lack of it)

Finding the desired channel

Staying on the desired channel

Look-up tables vs. channel counting? Is global wavelength monitor required? Must look-up tables be updated over life? Is locker required to meet spec? Is single knob control from locker sufficient over life?

If look-up tables must be updated, how can this be done reliably?

54

What causes the wavelength to change

= n + L - m n L m
Tuned by net cavity index change Tuned by mode-selection filter (via index or grating angle)

Tuned by physical length change

Physical Causes, assuming a fixed look-up table: n Changes in internal temperature, Tint, or carrier lifetime, c L Physical movementssolder relaxation, MEMs charging m n of DBR, of ext. grating, or MEMs charging

55

Critical issues for wavelength stability

Laser
DFB Array/SOA DFBs/MEMs SGDBR/SOA Ext. Cavity

Variables in Table
j, Ig(j), T, ISOA j, Ig(j), T, VM1(j), VM2(j) Im1, Im2, I, ISOA VM, VML, I, Igain, VMshut

*Critical issues
n(Tint) Ig n(Tint) Ig nDBR(c) m L(VM), m(VM), n(Tint) Ig L(VM)

VCSEL/MEMs

VM1, Ig

*Requiring table update or global channel locator

56

Estimated Open-loop Wavelength Shifts

Laser Critical issues @ EOLgain (No table update)
40GHz (10GHz/SOA feedback) 40GHz <10GHz 100GHz (MEMs charging) DFB Array/SOA n(Tint) Ig DFBs/MEMs n(Tint) Ig SGDBR/SOA Ext. Cavity nDBR(c) m L(VM), m(VM), n(Tint) Ig L(VM)

VCSEL/MEMs

1000GHz

Only SGDBR lands on correct mode near EOL Open-loop Others require global channel monitor or the like

57

Effects of SGDBR Mirror Aging: Measurement

7.5
0.09

6.5

0.08

0.07

5.5
0.06

4.5 rtBM

0.05

240 Hours 576 Hours 1080 Hours 1416 Hours 2088 Hours 2304 Hours 2640 Hours

3.5

0.04

2.5

0.03

0.02

1.5
0.01

0.5 0.5 1.5 2.5 rtFM t=96 Hours t=2304 Hours 3.5 4.5 5.5
0.00 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Corresponds to > 100 yrs of operation Aging gives fixed amount of root current increase to provide a shift in the mode map to higher current .

58

Very High SGDBR Wavelength Stability and Reliability

3 2 1 0 1 2 3

104

Mirror Life Time (yrs)

MTTF ~ ~ 350yrs MTTF 350 yrs ~0.56 0.56 Ea=0.55 eV, n=2

~ 106 Device Hours measured. Very low Bragg Wavelength Aging Rates < 0.5 pm/ year at worse case. Gain and SOA sections have similar MTTF and failure distribution. OK for open-loop operation no mode hops or incorrect channels

103

FITS @ 25 yrs < 1

102

Mirrors - Experimental Mirrors - Least Squares Fit

101
0.1 1 5 20 50

80

95

99 99.9

Cumulative Failures, %

59

SGDBR Laser/SOA FITs vs. Time

250

Open-loop failure rate vs. time

Failure Rate (FITs)

200

Gain section determines EOL Closed-loop mirror control has also been implemented to monitor any drift

150

100

50

0 0 5 10 15 20 25 Operating Time (yrs)

2*Mirror Failure Rate Gain Only Failure Rate Amplifier Only Failure Rate Total Failure Rate

60

SGDBR vs DFB Chip Reliability

10000 Lasing Wavelength Shift (pm/Year)

Historically, DBR Reliability WAS Poor Defects in the grating area, found to be primary cause of DBR failure. Improvement to re-growth (InP/InP) and minimal grating area of SG-DBR, allow equivalent or better performance vs. DFBs.

Use Current Density (~4kA/ cm )

2

1000 100 10 1 0.1 0.01

DFB EOL

*Mawatari, 1999

Agility, 2002

10 2 DBR Current Density (kA/cm )

100

*Mawatari et al, Lasing Wavelength Changes Due to Degradation in Buried Heterostructure DBR Laser, Journal of Lightwave Technology, v.17, no.5 1999

61

Summary

Tunable lasers can reduce operational costs Narrowly tunable versions have some short term inventory/sparing cost advantages but newer full-band types offer many further opportunities Several configurations have emerged for current applications Monolithic integration offers significant potential for reducing size, weight, power, & cost Wavelength control issues still exist for many configurations. Look-up table updating and/or global channel monitors are necessary in some cases. Reliability has been proven for the SGDBR version without any updating of the look-up tables or need for channel searching