Passive mode-locking in 1.3 μm two-section InAs quantum dot lasers

Passive mode locking was achieved at 1.3 mum in oxide-confined, two-section, bistable quantum dot (QD) lasers with an integrated intracavity QD saturable absorber. Fully mode-locked pulses at a repetition rate of 7.4 GHz with a duration of 17 ps were observed under appropriate bias conditions. No self-pulsation accompanied the mode locking. These results suggest that a carefully designed QD laser is a candidate for ultrashort pulse generation. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.