Novel architectures of very low RIN semiconductor lasers in extended cavities for high performance microwave links

Abstract

We demonstrate the operation of two single mode semiconductor lasers architectures with a relative intensity noise limited by the shot noise floor over a large frequency range from 100 MHz to 18 GHz. In two different cavity schemes, we achieve a direct control on photons lifetime to turn an initially class-B laser into a relaxation oscillation free class-A one while preserving a strict single mode operation. Finally, we confirm experimentally that the laser operation in the desired class-A regime allows a drastic filtering out of the relative intensity noise