Parameter designing to improve the energy efficiency of quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifier

Abstract

We theoretically analyze the performance and gain properties of the quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifier's (QD‐SOA) performance using a three‐state mode and a universal two‐level model. Although the first model describes the semiconductor optical amplifier's (SOA's) behavior with the photon numbers and the other in optical powers, these two are found to have a same format and the second one can also well describe the QD‐SOA's behavior. Then, the QD‐SOA's energy efficiency's dependence on its active region length is deduced with the two‐level model; theoretical results indicate that the SOA's maximal energy efficiency climbs with input optical power while the energy‐efficient active region length decreases linearly with increase of the power in dBm. Experimental results show that the efficiency optimized input power is proportional with the SOA's work current and saturation power just as predicted. These theory and experimental results may be guidelines for the energy‐efficient SOA designing and applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:896–901, 2015