Numerical investigations on the performance of external-cavity mode-locked semiconductor lasers

The performance of an external-cavity mode-locked semiconductor laser is analyzed theoretically and numerically. Passive mode-locking is described using a fully-distributed time-domain model including fast effects, spectral hole burning and carrier heating. We provide optimization rules in order to improve the mode-locking performance, such as reducing the pulsewidth and time-bandwidth product as much as possible. Timing jitter is determined by means of extensive numerical simulations of the model, demontrating that an external modulation is required in order to maintain moderate timing-jitter and phase-noise levels at low frequencies. The effect of the driving conditions is investigated in order to achieve short pulses and low timing jitter. Our results are in qualitative agreement with reported experiments and predictions obtained from the master equation for mode-locking.