Polarization insensitive amplification at 1.5/spl mu/m wavelength using tensile strained multiple quantum well structures

For 1.5/spl mu/m wavelength, a high gain of 15 dB under polarization insensitive operation has been demonstrated by a newly developed semiconductor optical amplifier with a small tensile strain (0.2%) introduced to 8 nm-thick quantum wells. TE and TM mode gain characteristics have been investigated as a function of device length and strain.