Analysis of the phase-locking dynamics of a III-V-on-silicon frequency comb laser

Abstract

We present the detailed characterization of the phase dynamics of a telecom hybrid III-V-on-silicon passively mode-locked laser with a ring cavity. We explore the various regimes of operation as a function of gain current and saturable absorber bias voltage. We use a stepped heterodyne measurement to quantify the spectral chirp and reconstruct the pulse envelope. With this technique, we are able to identify regimes of near-transform-limited operation, and we assess the degradation of mode-locking in the comb phase relationship when saturable absorber bias voltage is changed. Finally, we present a preliminary study of the phase-locking in hybrid mode-locked operation and demonstrate transform-limited pulses. (c) 2021 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement