Investigation of frequency noise and spectrum linewidth in semiconductor optical amplifier

Abstract

The characteristics of FM noise and linewidth of semiconductor optical amplifier without facet mirrors were theoretically analyzed and experimentally confirmed. The concept of discrete longitudinal mode for the spontaneous emission was introduced as the basis of quantum mechanical characteristics, allowing the quantitative examination of noise sources. The continuously broaden output spectrum profile of the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) was well explained as a spectrum broadening of each longitudinal mode. We found that the linewidth of the inputted signal light hardly changes by the optical amplification in the SOA. The FM noise increases proportional to square value of the noise frequency and less affected by the electron density fluctuation, the linewidth enhancement factor and the ASE. The higher FM noise in the higher noise frequency is caused by the intrinsic phase fluctuation on the optical emission. The characteristics of the linewidth and the noise frequency dependency were experimentally confirmed.