Abstract

We present a compact, mode-locked diode laser system designed to emit a frequency comb in the wavelength range around 780 nm. We compare the mode-locking performance of symmetric and asymmetric double quantum well ridge-waveguide diode laser chips in an extended-cavity diode laser configuration. By reverse biasing a short section of the diode laser chip, passive mode-locking at 3.4 GHz is achieved. Employing an asymmetric double quantum well allows for generation of a mode-locked optical spectrum spanning more than 15 nm (full width at $-20\mathrm{dB}$) while the symmetric double quantum well device only provides a bandwidth of $\sim 2.7\mathrm{nm}$ (full width at $-20\mathrm{dB}$). Analysis of the RF noise characteristics of the pulse repetition rate shows an RF linewidth of about 7 kHz (full width at half-maximum) and of at most 530 Hz (full width at half-maximum) for the asymmetric and symmetric double quantum well devices, respectively. Investigation of the frequency noise power spectral density at the pulse repetition rate shows a white noise floor of approximately $2100{\mathrm{Hz}}^2/\mathrm{Hz}$ and of at most $170{\mathrm{Hz}}^2/\mathrm{Hz}$ for the diode laser employing the asymmetric and symmetric double quantum well structures, respectively. The pulse width is less than 10 ps for both devices.

© 2017 Optical Society of America

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