Quantum-Well SEED Optical Pulse Generator

Abstract

Some photonic circuits require optical pulse generators to provide clock pulses for optical logic elements. For example, a recently reported all-optical regenerator [1] used an injection-locked self-electro-optic-effect-device (SEED) oscillator [2] to recover optical clock pulses. The SEED oscillator is a simple optical circuit, consisting of only a quantum-well SEED electrically biased through a resonant LC circuit. By illuminating the SEED with cw light, it can exhibit negative conductance, causing the electrical circuit to oscillate. The voltage oscillations modulate the SEED’S-optical absorption so that light is transmitted through the SEED as a train of pulses.