1. Fields of application

1.1 Fiber optic communications

Thanks to their compactness, low power consumption and the ability to modulate light by current, semiconductor lasers have rapidly established themselves in fiber-optic communications. There isn't just one type of laser, but rather a large number of structures whose properties have been adapted to best meet the specifications required by each application.

So, for the entire 1.3 and 1.5 µm traditional telecommunications sector, diode structures and properties have been optimized to transmit digital data over single-mode fiber under the best possible conditions. Like fibers, structures have been invented to guide light into the diode and facilitate optical coupling with the fiber. In addition, depending on the optical cavities used...