Generalized perturbation analysis of distortion in semiconductor lasers

Abstract

We have carried out a generalized perturbation analysis of the second-order nonlinear equation for photon density for semiconductor lasers. The second-order equation is obtained with minimal approximations, from the single-mode semiconductor laser rate equations, which unlike previous work, include both the effect of gain compression and the coupling of the spontaneous emission to the lasing mode. After deriving the general perturbation formula, expressions for second harmonic distortion as well as third-order intermodulation distortion are obtained. Unlike previous work which is restricted to two subcarriers, the present work gives results for an arbitrary number of subcarriers.