Effect of gain saturation in InP-photonic band gap active waveguides

Abstract

In this paper the design of an active InP-based buried waveguide is proposed in order to realize the amplification of the electric field at a specific operation wavelength. The waveguide includes Bragg mirrors, designed to operate in the third telecommunication window, which confine a mode, tuned at the band edge wavelength, inside the active region. The analysis of gain and its saturation effects occurring when high values of current are injected in the structure is performed; the variation of number of periods considered in the Bragg mirrors and the length of defect deeply affect the behaviour of the gain. The analysis has been developed using proprietary codes, based on MoL-BBPM, introducing rate equations which take into account the energy phenomena linked to the presence of the active region.