半导体前置光放大器的设计和制作要点

[摘要] 介绍了用于接收端探测器前置放大的半导体光放大器的核心设计要点及其与普通半导体激光器在实际制作中的几个不同点。半导体前置光放大器的设计核心是如何抑制其中的自发辐射并被伴随放大的噪声，对于边入射型的器件还要考虑其增益偏振相关性的消除。半导体光放大器一般具有少阱和低光场限制因子的长增益区结构，在这点上它与高速直调半导体激光器有着最大的区别。

[关键词] 半导体光放大器；接收端前置放大；ASE噪声；增益偏振相关度；增益-带宽积；饱和功率

[Abstract] This paper has its focus on the essential design consideration of semiconductor optical amplifiers for optical signal pre-amplification in optical receivers. It also briefs some differences from semiconductor laser diodes in their fabrications. In considering the design of pre-amplifiers, the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise needs to be suppressed and their gain polarization dependence (in edge incidence device only) needs to be eliminated. Semiconductor optical amplifiers also have longer active regions with fewer quantum wells and lower optical confinement factors, which makes them different from directly modulated semiconductor laser diodes.

[Keywords] semiconductor optical amplifier; receiver pre-amplifier; ASE noise; gain polarization correlation; gain bandwidth product; saturation power