Lasers à blocage de modes à base de boîtes et bâtonnets quantiques pour les peignes de fréquences optiques

Optical frequency combs, generating tens of equally spaced optical carriers from a single laser source, are very attractive for next-generation wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) communication systems. This PhD thesis presents a study on the optical frequency combs generated by mode-locked laser diodes based on low-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures. In this work, the mode-locking performances of single-section Fabry-Pérot lasers based on different material systems are compared on the basis of the optical spectrum width, the timing jitter and pulse generation capabilities. Then, noticing that InAs quantum dashes grown on InP exhibit on average better characteristics than other examined materials, their unique properties in terms of comb stability and pulse chirp are studied in more detail. Laser chirp, in particular, is first investigated by frequency resolved optical gating (FROG) characterizations. Then, chromatic dispersion of the laser material is assessed in order to verify whether it can account for the large chirp values measured by FROG. For that, a high sensitivity optical frequency-domain reflectometry setup is used and its measurement capabilities are extensively studied and validated. Finally, the combs generated by quantum dash mode-locked lasers are successfully employed for high data rate transmissions using direct-detection optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. Terabit per second capacities, as well as the low cost of this system architecture, appear to be particularly promising for future datacom applicationsLes peignes de longueurs d'onde, produisant des dizaines de porteuses optiques régulièrement espacées à partir d'une seule source laser, présentent un grand intérêt pour les systèmes de communication à haut débit. Ce travail de thèse porte sur les peignes générés par les diodes laser à blocage de modes basées sur des nanostructures semi-conductrices à basse dimensionnalité. Dans cette étude, les performances en verrouillage de modes de lasers Fabry-Pérot mono-section basés sur différents systèmes de matériaux sont comparées sur la base de la largeur du spectre optique d'émission et de la capacité à produire des impulsions courtes à faible gigue temporelle. En remarquant que les lasers à base de bâtonnets quantiques InAs sur InP présentent de meilleures caractéristiques par rapport aux autres matériaux examinés, leurs propriétés spécifiques en termes de stabilité des peignes de fréquences optiques et de chirp des impulsions sont étudiées plus en détail. Le chirp est d'abord étudié par la technique FROG (frequency-resolved optical gating). Ensuite, la dispersion chromatique du matériau laser est évaluée afin de vérifier si elle peut expliquer les grandes valeurs de chirp mesurées par FROG. Pour cela la technique de réflectométrie optique dans le domaine fréquentiel est utilisée et ses capacités uniques de mesure ont été étudiées et validées. Enfin, ces lasers sont employés avec succès pour les transmissions haut débit à l'aide de la technique de modulation optique OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing) en détection directe. Débits de l'ordre du térabit par seconde, ainsi que le faible coût de l’architecture du système, sont très prometteurs pour les data center

Epitaxy and characterization of InP/InGaAs tandem solar cells grown by MOVPE on InP and Si substrates

The integration of III-V multi-junction solar cells on Si substrates is currently one of the most promising possibilities to combine high photovoltaic performance with a reduction of the manufacturing costs. In this work, we propose a prospective study for the realization of an InP/InGaAs tandem solar cell lattice-matched to InP on a commercially available Si template by direct MOVPE growth. The InP top cell and the InGaAs bottom cell were firstly separately grown and optimized using InP substrates, which exhibited conversion efficiencies of 13.5% and 11.4%, respectively. The two devices were then combined in a tandem device by introducing an intermediate InP/AlInAs lattice-matched tunnel junction, showing an efficiency of 18.4%. As an intermediate step towards the realization of the tandem device on Si, the InP and InGaAs single junction solar cells were grown on top of a commercial InP/GaP/Si template. This transitional stage enabled to isolate and evaluate the effects of the growth of III-V on Si on the photovoltaic performance through the comparison with the aforementioned devices on InP. Each cell was electrically characterized by external quantum efficiency and dark and illuminated current-voltage under solar simulator. The material quality was also analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, Atomic-Force Microscopy, Transmission Electron and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The III-V on Si devices showed efficiencies of 3.6% and 2.0% for the InP and InGaAs solar cells, respectively

Spectral and temporal phase measurement by Optical Frequency-Domain Reflectometry

International audienceThe capability of measuring the spectral and temporal phase of an optical signal is of fundamental importance for the advanced characterization of photonic and optoelectronic components, biochemical sensors, structural monitoring sensors and distributed sensor networks. To address this problem, several techniques have been developed (frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG), spectral phase interferometry for direct electric-field reconstruction (SPIDER), stepped-heterodyne technique, laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) and Doppler optical coherence tomography (OCT)). However, such techniques often lack of versatility for the mentioned applications. Swept-wavelength interferometric techniques and, among these, optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR) are flexible and highly sensitive tools for complete characterization of amplitude and phase of target devices. In this work, we investigate the spectral and temporal phase measurement capabilities of OFDR. Precise characterization of spectral phase information is demonstrated by retrieving the phase response of a commercial optical filter, the Finisar Waveshaper 1000 S/X, programmable in attenuation and phase over C+L band (1530-1625 nm). The presented results show accurate retrieval of group delay dispersion (GDD) and discrete phase shift as well as filter attenuation profile. Although some intrinsic accuracy limitations of OFDR phase measurements may be encountered (and herein specified), we show that information encoded in OFDR reflectogram data is very rich when adequately exploited. In addition to previously published results, we demonstrate the high sensitivity of the technique to Doppler effects. From practical point of view, such sensitivity can be beneficially exploited for the characterisation of dynamical aspects of samples under test. Unlike LDV, OFDR allows the simultaneous retrieval of the temporal position of several localised reflecting target along the beam path. All these aspects make OFDR a highly promising candidate for the study of both static and dynamic aspects of complex photonic components or to probe a parallel sensor network, as needed for future application

Devices and fibers for ultrawideband optical communications

Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) has historically enabled the increase in the capacity of optical systems by progressively populating the existing optical bandwidth of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) in the C -band. Nowadays, the number of channels - needed in optical systems - is approaching the maximum capacity of standard C -band EDFAs. As a result, the industry worked on novel approaches, such as the use of multicore fibers, the extension of the available spectrum of the C -band EDFAs, and the development of transmission systems covering C - and L-bands and beyond. In the context of continuous traffic growth, ultrawideband (UWB) WDM transmission systems appear as a promising technology to leverage the bandwidth of already deployed optical fiber infrastructure and sustain the traffic demand for the years to come. Since the pioneering demonstrations of UWB transmission a few years ago, long strides have been taken toward UWB technologies. In this review article, we discuss how the most recent advances in the design and fabrication of enabling devices, such as lasers, amplifiers, optical switches, and modulators, have improved the performance of UWB systems, paving the way to turn research demonstrations into future products. In addition, we also report on the advances in UWB optical fibers, such as the recently introduced nested antiresonant nodeless fibers (NANFs), whose future implementations could potentially provide up to 300-nm-wide bandwidth at less than 0.2 dB/km loss. </p

Self Pulsation in Quantum Dot lasers operating at 1.55 μm based on (311)B substrates

International audienc

InAs/InP quantum dot mode-locked lasers grown on (113)B InP substrate

International audienceWe report for the first time the passive mode-locking of single section Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers based on InAs quantum dots grown on (113)B InP substrate. Devices under study are a 1 and 2 mm long laser diodes emitting around 1.58 μm. Self-starting pulses with repetition rates around 39 and 23 GHz and pulse widths down to 1.5 ps are observed after propagation through a suitable length of single-mode fiber for intracavity dispersion compensation

23 and 39 GHz low phase noise monosection InAs/InP (113)B quantum dots mode-locked lasers

International audienceHere we report for the first time a passive mode-locking of single section Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers based on InAs quantum dots(QDs) grown on (113)B InP substrate. Devices under study are a 1 and 2 mm long laser diodes emitting around 1.58 µm. Self-starting pulses with repetition rates around 23 and 39 GHz and pulse widths down to 1.5 ps are observed after propagation through a suitable length of single-mode fiber for intracavity dispersion compensation. A RF spectral width as low as 20 kHz has been obtained leading to a low timing jitter RMS

Epitaxy and characterization of InP/InGaAs tandem solar cells grown by MOVPE on InP and Si substrates

International audienceThe integration of III-V multi-junction solar cells on Si substrates is currently one of the most promising possibilities to combine high photovoltaic performance with a reduction of the manufacturing costs. In this work, we propose a prospective study for the realization of an InP/InGaAs tandem solar cell lattice-matched to InP on a commercially available Si template by direct MOVPE growth. The InP top cell and the InGaAs bottom cell were firstly separately grown and optimized using InP substrates, which exhibited conversion efficiencies of 13.5% and 11.4%, respectively. The two devices were then combined in a tandem device by introducing an intermediate InP/AlInAs lattice-matched tunnel junction, showing an efficiency of 18.4%. As an intermediate step towards the realization of the tandem device on Si, the InP and InGaAs single junction solar cells were grown on top of a commercial InP/GaP/Si template. This transitional stage enabled to isolate and evaluate the effects of the growth of III-V on Si on the photovoltaic performance through the comparison with the aforementioned devices on InP. Each cell was electrically characterized by external quantum efficiency and dark and illuminated current-voltage under solar simulator. The material quality was also analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, Atomic-Force Microscopy, Transmission Electron and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The III-V on Si devices showed efficiencies of 3.6% and 2.0% for the InP and InGaAs solar cells, respectively

Epitaxy and characterization of InP/InGaAs tandem solar cells grown by MOVPE on InP and Si substrates

The integration of III-V multi-junction solar cells on Si substrates is currently one of the most promising possibilities to combine high photovoltaic performance with a reduction of the manufacturing costs. In this work, we propose a prospective study for the realization of an InP/InGaAs tandem solar cell lattice-matched to InP on a commercially available Si template by direct MOVPE growth. The InP top cell and the InGaAs bottom cell were firstly separately grown and optimized using InP substrates, which exhibited conversion efficiencies of 13.5% and 11.4%, respectively. The two devices were then combined in a tandem device by introducing an intermediate InP/AlInAs lattice-matched tunnel junction, showing an efficiency of 18.4%. As an intermediate step towards the realization of the tandem device on Si, the InP and InGaAs single junction solar cells were grown on top of a commercial InP/GaP/Si template. This transitional stage enabled to isolate and evaluate the effects of the growth of III-V on Si on the photovoltaic performance through the comparison with the aforementioned devices on InP. Each cell was electrically characterized by external quantum efficiency and dark and illuminated current-voltage under solar simulator. The material quality was also analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, Atomic-Force Microscopy, Transmission Electron and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The III-V on Si devices showed efficiencies of 3.6% and 2.0% for the InP and InGaAs solar cells, respectively