Spatial Hole Burning in Reflective Semiconductor Optical Amplifier: Numerical Analysis from the Standpoint of Classical Electromagnetism

Electromagnetic modelling of reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) is performed from the standpoint of classical electrodynamics, where loss or gain in a medium is described by means of complex permittivity. The steady-state frequency-domain analysis is carried out by the method of single expression. This method does not exploit counter-propagating waves approach and gives insight of nonlinear optical wave behavior within the multilayer amplifying structure. The electromagnetic modelling allows observing the influence of gain saturation on the properties of the RSOA. The shape of longitudinal spatial hole burning within the amplifying layer is also obtained.