Excitation of a semiconductor GaAlAs laser by picosecond pulses from an optoelectronic switch

An investigation was made of picosecond optical pulses generated by an injection semiconductor laser excited by an optoelectronic switch. The switching was performed by a picosecond YAG laser. The use of Cr:GaAs switches with a gap partly closed by a dye made it possible to generate electrical pulses shorter than 40 ps at midamplitude. They corresponded to single (free of relaxational oscillations) optical pulses of 40 ps.