Abstract

Recent successes in fabrication of compact DBR lasers using photonic microstructure (1-D photonic bandgap) mirrors[1] open the doors for a number of applications for these microctructures, including high-speed, short-pulse optoelectronic devices. Experimentally, modulation bandwidths above 30 GHz have been demonstrated in a laser with a (non­optimum) short DBR mirror [2]. Here, we shall discuss the possibility of applying the extreme compactness, strong stop-band effects and very dispersive stop-band edges of photonic microstructure devices for achieving solitonic-type pulse shaping at moderate power levels or self-oscillatory behaviour. In particular, we shall assess the possibility of using microsutructure reflectors to achieve an ultracompact, very high frequency version of Q-switched semiconductor lasers, including dispersive self-Q-switching, and the requirements to microcavity reflectors used for such an application.

© 1998 IEEE