Integrated 840nm high-power dual-polarization SLED source

Abstract

We demonstrate, to our knowledge for the first time, an integrated light source module that emits broadband amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) light from two superluminescent diodes (SLEDs) through a single-mode fiber output simultaneously on two orthogonal polarizations. The dual-polarization SLED source is realized on a free-space, temperature-stabilized, micro-optical bench and integrated in a 14-pin butterfly module. The broadband light output from the single-mode fiber has twice the output power of a single-SLED source and achieves a polarization extinction ratio (PER) of 0 dB when the relative power levels of both SLED sources are carefully balanced.