GaAs-double-heterostructure lasers as optical amplifiers

The results of measurements on a GaAs-double-heterostructure (DHS) laser used as an optical amplifier are reported. The laser's amplifying guide is coupled to an optical fiber with a rectangular core. The laser amplifier can be operated either in the traveling-wave or the resonator mode. The gain, noise, and performance of the amplifier when driven hard into saturation were measured as a function of various parameters.