Intensity Noise of an Actively Mode-Locked Quantum Dot External Cavity Laser

We present the intensity noise characteristics of an actively mode-locked quantum-dot hybrid soliton pulse source (QD-HSPS) with a linearly chirped Gaussian-apodized fiber Bragg grating. The QD-HSPS is modeled by using an approximate solution for the propagation equation that governs the electric field and the rate equations, including spontaneous and carrier noise sources. Our results show that QD carrier noise is the most effective noise type, and the spontaneous coupling factor, carrier recombination time in the QD, and laser cavity length are the most important noise parameters. In addition we find that a QD-HSPS produces considerably shorter pulses, with or without noise, than a multi-quantum-well HSPS and has a larger mode-locking frequency range. © 2014 IEEE.