Prof. Peter J. Delfyett
CREOL, The College of Optics & Photonics, University of Central Florida

Ultrafast Coherent Optical Signal Processing using Stabilized Optical Frequency Combs from Mode-locked Semiconductor Diode Lasers

The development of high speed communication, interconnects and signal processing are critical for an information based economy. Lightwave technologies offer the promise of high bandwidth connectivity from component development that is manufacturable, cost effective, and electrically efficient. The concept of optical frequency/ wavelength division multiplexing has revolutionized methods of optical communication; however the development of optical systems using 100’s of wavelengths present challenges for network planners. The development of compact, efficient optical sources capable of generating a multiplicity of optical frequencies/ wavelength channels from a single device could potentially simplify the operation and management of high capacity optical interconnects and links. Over the years, we have been developing mode-locked semiconductor lasers to emit ultrashort optical pulses at high pulse repetition frequencies for a wide variety of applications, but geared toward optical communication using time division multiplexed optical links. The periodic nature of optical pulse generation from mode-locked semiconductor diode lasers also make these devices ideal candidates for the generation of high quality optical frequency combs, or multiple wavelengths, in addition to the temporally stable, high peak intensity optical pulses that one is accustomed to. The optical frequency combs enables a variety of optical communication and signal processing applications that can exploit the large bandwidth and speed that femtosecond pulse generation implies, however the aggregate speed and bandwidth can be achieved by spectrally channelizing the bandwidth, and utilize lower speed electronics for control of the individual spectral components of the mode-locked laser. This presentation will highlight our recent results in the generation of stabilized frequency combs, and in developing approaches for filtering, modulating and detecting individual comb components. We then show how these technologies can be applied in signal processing applications such as arbitrary waveform generation, arbitrary waveform measurement, laser radar and matched filtering for pattern recognition.

Peter J. Delfyett is currently Trustee Chair Professor of Optics, ECE & Physics at the University of Central Florida. He obtained his Ph.D from The Graduate School & University Center of the City University of New York in 1988, after which he joined Bell Communication Research. Some of his technical accomplishments were the development of the world’s fastest, most powerful modelocked semiconductor laser diode. Dr. Delfyett joined the faculty at the College of Optics & Photonics and the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL) at the University of Central Florida in 1993. He has published over 500 articles and has been awarded 30 United States Patents. He was awarded the University of Central Florida’s 2001 Pegasus Professor Award. Dr. Delfyett has also endeavored to transfer technology to the private sector, and helped to found “Raydiance, Inc.” Most recently, he was awarded the APS Edward Bouchet Award for his significant scientific contributions in the area of ultrafast optical device physics and semiconductor diode based ultrafast lasers.