Self-induced transparency modelocking of quantum cascade lasers in the presence of saturable nonlinearity and group velocity dispersion

We consider the impact of saturable nonlinearity and group velocity dispersion on self-induced transparency (SIT) modelocking of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). We find that self-induced transparency modelocking in QCLs can be obtained in the presence of saturable nonlinearity if the saturable loss or gain is below a critical limit. The limit for the saturable loss is significantly more stringent than the limit for the saturable gain. Stable modelocked pulses are also obtained in the presence of both normal and anomalous group velocity dispersion when its magnitude is below a critical value. The stability limit for the saturable loss becomes less stringent when group velocity dispersion is simultaneously present. However, the stability limit for the saturable gain is not significantly affected. All these limits depend on the ratio of the SIT-induced gain and absorption to the linear loss. Realistic values for both the saturable nonlinearity and chromatic dispersion are within the range in which SIT modelocking is predicted to be stable. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America