Passively mode-locked monolithic semiconductor diode lasers incorporating dispersion compensation

The effect of integrating a chirped mirror at one end of the monolithic semiconductor lasers to act as a group delay mirror was considered. A multi-layered mirror can be fabricated by etching air slots into the waveguide structure. The system is examined numerically using a time domain travelling wave method. The multi-layer mirror is modelled using a transfer matrix method. The parameters chosen correspond to a GaAs-InGaAsP-InP multiple quantum well laser operating at a wavelength 1.55 /spl mu/m. The effect of dispersion compensation on the pulse duration and on the time band-width product of the pulses. Suitable multi-layer mirror elements are suggested, taking fabrication tolerances into account.