Optical carrier linewidth broadening in a traveling wave semiconductor laser amplifier

The powerful spectral densities of the phase, intensity, and electron density noise derived in a previous paper are used to calculate the linewidth broadening of an optical carrier as it propagates through a traveling-wave semiconductor laser amplifier. It is found that the amount of broadening is dependent upon the input linewidth as well as amplifier parameters. The effect of saturation due to high input power is considered, as well as the operational regime where intensity, rather than phase, noise determines the amplifier output line shape. An example system calculation is used to demonstrate the impact of amplifier line broadening on system design.<
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