SOA pulsed driver with nanosecond speed: a new fiber modulator

Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOA) driven in pulse regime are a high dynamic range, lossless, high extinction ratio and highly polarizing fiber modulator solution available from 750 to 1700 nm.

It is a very compact unit optimized for single-shot to CW performance with pulse width lengths down to 1 nanosecond. This SOA pulsed driver delivers precision pulses which are generated internally by an on-board pulse generator, or on demand from an external TTL signal.

Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers driven in nanosecond pulse regime can be compared with AOMs, EOMs or direct laser diode modulators (see comparative table). It is the only solution meeting all the constraints for a reliable, stable and efficient fibered modulation.

It is an ideal solution to drive most of the commercially available SOA like, for example, Innolume or Thorlabs. See our tutorial : fiber modulator basics

These products are now offered by AeroDIODE, a new ALPhANOV spin-off company. The product manager is available to answer any technical of commercial question.

Product reference: SOA

Buy from stock in Europe and USA

Key features

User-set pulse width from 0.5 ns to CW
High dynamic range : >48 dB, High extinction ratio : >~50 dB
Lossless device
Timing Jitter down to 8 ps
Repetition rate up to 250 MHz
User design pulse shape (SOA-shape only)
No wavelength variation along the pulse duration
Adjustable safety limits, current levels (average/peak), SOA temperature, etc.
USB & analog control.

Datasheet & tutorial

SOA PULSED DRIVER

This SOA pulsed driver works alone or in series with other products in our range like:

Complex systems, such as fiber lasers, can be quickly developed on this module platform.

Turn-Key solutions which include the SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers) are also offered by ALPhANOV as a SOM (Semiconductor Optical Modulator).

Specifications

Version	SOA standard	SOA HPP (High Pulse Performance)	SOA Shape (Pulse shaping)
CW or pulsed ?	CW or pulsed	CW and/or pulsed	Pulsed
Output current (CW regime)	800 mA	2000 mA	-
Output current (pulse regime)	1500 mA	4000 mA	1600 mA
Extinction ratio (dB, typ) (SOA choice dependant)	> 50 dB	-	> 40 dB
Switching speed (typ) (SOA choice dependant)	~1 ns	~0,5 ns	~2 ns
Dynamic range (up to)	60 dB	60 dB	48 dB
Trigger to pulse Jitter	< 20 ps	< 8 ps	< 2 ns
Pulse shaping	no	no	yes
Max repetition rate	10 MHz	250 MHz	20 MHz
Max output power (SOA choice dependant)	From 20 to 100 mW (more than 500 mW have been measured in some pulsed configuration)
Interfaces/compatibilités/Libraries	USB - Windows 7/10 - DLLs - Hexa - Labview - Python
Dimensions	13011029	17010727.5	1629227
Operating voltage (AC/DC converter included)	12 V	24 V	24 V