High spectral tuning range of a modelocked InGaAs/InGaAsP MQW laser diode due to light hole gain contribution

We report on modelocking of an external cavity multi quantum well semiconductor laser with an extremely wide spectral tuning range. Pulse widths in the order of 30 ps were obtained spectrally tunable from 1448 to 1563 nm. The broadening of the gain spectrum is experimentally shown to be due to the additional contribution of the electron n=1 to the light hole n=1 transition. This conclusion is supported by numerical calculations.<
>