WD4.

3 (Contributed)
2014 IEEE Photonics Conference
4:15 PM - 4:30 PM

Cost-effective O-band high-power, low distortion

CWDM analog lasers
Jia-Sheng Huang, Xiaoguang He, Hank Blauvelt, Heng Chin, Matt Lomeli, Ruby Zendejaz
and Chun Lei
Emcore, Broadband Division, 2015 W. Chestnut Street, Alhambra, CA 91803
Abstract: We develop C-band high-power CWDM analog lasers with excellent distortion
linearity performance. Optical output power, CSO/CTB distortion and chirp are studied. Robust
reliability and wavelength stability are demonstrated.

1. Introduction
Optical fiber transmis sion offers several advantages over conventional coaxial transmission for
cable television (CATV) distribution due to the lower loss and wider bandwidth of the fiber [1-3]. In the
United States where CATV penetration to households is about 60%, cable television operators are
aggressively upgrading or rebuilding their systems with hybrid fiber coax (HFC) for delivering analog and
digital TV. In emerging markets where cable penetration is only 5%, state-of-the-art optical fiber link
networks are being rapidly constructed. HFC systems carry a combination of analog video and high order
QAM modulated RF carriers. Both of these signal formats require much lower noise characteristics and
higher linearity than conventional baseband digital modulation. More importantly, the demand for low
distortion characteristics over wide carrier frequency at high optical power is increasing for CATV market.
In order to achieve the low distortion characteristics required for modern CATV networks, it is
essential to have extremely good linearity laser light sources at operating currents. While distributed
feedback (DFB) lasers with low distortion characteristics have been reported for decades [4], fabricating
good linearity (>25mW) analog lasers at low cost and high yield remains technically challenging. Several
remedies have been employed in industry to improve chip yield.
Due to the demand to increase bandwidth using the existing fiber networks, coarse/dense
wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM/DWDM) continues to receive increasing market interest. The
O-band WDM lasers are important laser sources due to the low fiber dispersion and high bandwidth. In this
paper, we show the WDM lassers of 1271, 1291, 1311, 1331, 1351 and 1371nm are manufacturably
feasible. The results of distortion, chirp and power over the carriers frequencies of 61 and 875MHz are
presented. We also demonstrate excellent long-term reliability and wavelength stability.

10

8
25C Ith (mA)

0
1260 1280 1300 1320 1340 1360 1380
Wavelength (nm)
Figure 1: (a) Threshold current and (b) Optical spectra of the O-band CWDM lasers over the wavelength range of 1271
to 1371nm. The optical spectra showed excellent SMSR.

2. Experimental
The O-band distributed feedback (DFB) lasers are based on InGaAsP multi-quantum well (MQW)
and separate confinement (SCH) structures with holographic grating and buried heterostructure (BH)
regrowth [4]. The laser facets were coated with anti-reflective (AR) and highly-reflective (HR) films. The
chips were mounted and wirebonded to the AlN submounts to facilitate the LIV and distortion test.
Selection criterion of the distortion test was established by comparing the harmonics to composite second
order (CSO) and composite triple beat (CTB). CSO and CTB were measured at frequencies of 61, 83 and
745MHz using modulated 110 channel signals [5,6].

978-1-4577-1504-4/14/$26.00 2014 IEEE 461

 2014 IEEE Photonics Conference

3. Results and Discussions

Figures 1(a) and (b) show the threshold current and optical spectra of the CWDM lasers over the
wide O-band wavelength range of 1271 1371nm. All lasers show low threshold current over the entire O-
band spectrum with excellent SMSR better than 50dB. The minor variation was mainly related to test and
coupling.
Figures 2(a), (b) and (c) show the distortion performance of the CWDM lasers over the O-band
spectrum. Low distortion of CSO<-60dB and CTB<-66dB at high power operations can be achieved. The
lasers also show desirable chirp in the range of 110-150 MHz/mA. Some of the chirp variation was related
to measurement.
70 80 160
68 CTB-83MHz Chirp
CTB-745MHz 150
66
75
64

Chirp (MHz/mA)
140
CSO (dB)

62

CTB (dB)
60 70 130
58
120
56
CSO-83MHz 65
54
CSO-745MHz 110
52
50 60 100
1280 1300 1320 1340 1360 1260 1280 1300 1320 1340 1360 1260 1280 1300 1320 1340 1360 1380
Wavelength (nm) Wavelength (nm) Wavelength (nm)

Figure 2: Distortion performance of O-band CWDM lasers (a) CSO (b) CTB and (c) chirp. The CSO and CTB were measured at
frequencices of 83 and 745MHz.

Figure 3(a) and (b) show the long-term reliability and wavelength stability data of the CWDM
lasers. All lasers showed robust long-term reliability behavior with small degradation in the threshold
current (Ith). The Ith change was only <5% after 5000hr aging, with respect to the 50% failure criterion.
The wavelength stability also met the stringent DWDM requirement (<=0.1nm).

1.5

O-band CWDM lasers

1.4 100C, 175mA
Relative Ith change (%)

1.3

1.2

1.1

1.0

0.9
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Aging time (hour)
Figure 3: (a) reliability data showing relative Ith trend chart and (b) wavelength stability data of O-band CWDM lasers.

4. Conclusion
We have demonstrated cost effective manufacturing capability for extremely good linearity 1.3
?m O-band CWDM DFB analog lasers at high optical output power of 20-30mW for CATV market. Low
distortion of CSO<-60dB and CTB<-66dB with desirable chirp at high power operations can be achieved.
Robust reliability performance and wavelength stability over long-term aging are shown.
References:
[1] H. Yonetani, I. Ushijima, T. Takeda and K. Shima, J. Lightwave Technol. vol. 11, p.147 (1993).
[2] R. Olshansky, V.A. Lanzisera and P.M. Hill J. Lightwave Technol. vol. 7, p.1329 (1989).
[3] G.P. Agrawal and N.K. Dutta, Semiconductor lasers (Kluwer Academic, 2nd Ed., 1993).
[4] J.S. Huang, T. Nguyen, W. Hsin, I. Aeby, R. Ceballo and J. Krogen, IEEE Trans. Device Mater. Reliab. vol.5(4),
p.665 (2005).
[5] H. Blauvelt, P.C. Chen, N. Bar-Chaim, P. Jiang, C.J. Lii and I. Ury, J. Lightwave Technol. vol. 10, p.1766 (1992).
[6] C.M. Gee, H. Blauvelt, P.C. Chen, L.A. Stark and I. Ury, Microwave-RF vol 31, p. 96 (1992).

978-1-4577-1504-4/14/$26.00 2014 IEEE 462