Dynamic power and chirp measurements of a quantum dash semiconductor optical amplifier amplified picosecond pulses using a linear pulse characterization technique

Quantum Dash (QDash) SOAs are of interest as an alternative to quantum dot SOAs, since they have some dot-like properties and easier fabricate such operate in the 1550 nm region, albeit with longer gain recovery times range hundreds picoseconds. QDash-SOAs promising core component is optical subsystems for applications next generation coherent communications signal processing, which often involve pulse amplification. It measure both dynamic power, phase associated chirp thereby spectrum typical QDash-SOA amplified pulses. Non-linear measurement techniques appropriate pulsewidths less than 5 ps but low sensitivity wider encountered practice. This paper describes use a modified linear characterization technique power identical pulses 20 GHz repetition rate 19 pulsewidth train. The from train calculated. structure strongly dependent on amplifier input shape energy.