Spin lasers for optical data communication

Markus Lindemann; Tobias Pusch; Rainer Michalzik; Nils C. Gerhardt; Martin R. Hofmann

doi:10.1117/12.2306464

9 May 2018 Spin lasers for optical data communication

Markus Lindemann, Tobias Pusch, Rainer Michalzik, Nils C. Gerhardt, Martin R. Hofmann

Proceedings Volume 10682, Semiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics VIII; 1068205 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2306464
Event: SPIE Photonics Europe, 2018, Strasbourg, France

Abstract

For short-haul optical interconnects, state-of-the-art technology are vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). To transmit data, direct current modulation is used. The corresponding intensity modulation resonance frequency is determined by design and material parameters of the laser and therefore practically limited to a few tens of GHz. To overcome this limitation, an alternative approach is the utilization of spin-VCSELs. In this case, the information carrier is no longer represented by the intensity, but instead by the polarization. The polarization can be controlled by the carrier spin. The birefringence in the cavity has the strongest impact on the polarization modulation resonance frequency. This can be explained by the generation of resonant polarization oscillations in the circular polarization degree in a spin-VCSEL. The circular polarization is composed of the two orthogonal linearly polarized cavity modes. The electromagnetic fields emitted from the two modes are coupled in phase by birefringence and in amplitude by dichroism. However, dependent on the birefringence in the cavity, their frequencies may differ. Spin pumping, i.e., circularly polarized optical pumping pulses, causes the fact that both modes become active. This results in an oscillation of the circular polarization degree of the emitted light, representing the polarization dynamics resonance frequency of the spin-VCSEL device. We demonstrate that the birefringence can be manipulated in actual VCSEL devices over a broad tuning range. Employing this parameter tuning, we demonstrate a polarization dynamics resonance frequency of 89 GHz, which is much faster than currently obtained intensity dynamics resonance frequencies. Not only the maximum frequency, but also the amplitude of the polarization effects should be optimized. An important factor for the amplitude damping is the dichroism, which represents the difference in the gain of the two orthogonal modes. We investigate the influence of birefringence on dichroism and the polarization oscillation amplitude.

Citation Download Citation

Markus Lindemann, Tobias Pusch, Rainer Michalzik, Nils C. Gerhardt, and Martin R. Hofmann "Spin lasers for optical data communication", Proc. SPIE 10682, Semiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics VIII, 1068205 (9 May 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2306464

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