Light polarization fingerprints on nonlinear dynamics of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

In this paper we summarize the recent results on nonlinear dynamics of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) which are bearing the fingerprints of the particular polarization properties of VCSELs. Due to the surface emission and cylindrical symmetry, VCSELs lack strong polarization anisotropy and may undergo polarization switching and polarization mode-hopping. This provides new specificities to the rich nonlinear dynamics induced in VCSELs by an external perturbation. We unveil both experimentally and theoretically these new specificities for the case of optical feedback, optical injection, and unidirectional synchronization between VCSELs.     

Bistable polarization switching in mutually coupled vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

We theoretically investigate the polarization-resolved dynamics of two vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers that are mutually coupled through coherent optical injection. We find a sequence of bistable polarization switchings that can be induced by changing either the coupling strength or the optical propagation phase. The successive polarization switchings are correlated with the creation of new compoundcavity modes when these parameters are continuously varied.     

Polarization switching and synchronization of mutually coupled vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

Polarization switching (PS) dynamics and synchronization performances of two mutually coupled vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are studied theoretically in this paper. A group of dimensionless rate equations is derived to describe our model. While analysing the PS characteristics, we focus on the effects of coupling rate and frequency detuning regarding different mutual injection types. The results indicate that the x-mode injection defers the occurrence of PS, while the y-mode injection leads the PS to occur at a lower current. Strong enough polarization-selective injection can suppress the PS. Moreover, if frequency detuning is considered, the effects of polarization-selective mutual injection will be weakened. To evaluate the synchronization performance, the correlation coefficients and output dynamics of VCSELs with both pure mode and mixed mode polarizations are given. It is found that performance of complete synchronization is sensitive to the frequency mismatch but it is little affected by mixed mode polarizations, which is opposite to the case of injection-locking synchronization.     

Ultrafast switching dynamics of nonlasing modes of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been investigated with ultrafast optical modulation. After injection of a subpicosecond laser pulse into the VCSEL cavity, nonlasing modes were excited and produced optical beating in the emission of the VCSEL. After these oscillations have died down, when the VCSEL is operating at high power and when the injected laser pulses exceed a power threshold as well, the injected laser pulses can induce the lasing to switch to a normally nonlasing mode with crossed polarization. Our measurements of the decay time of the nonlasing modes at low injected pulse energy are consistent with the interpretation of this switching as enabled by increased lifetime of the nonlasing modes at high power.     

Chaos dynamics in vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers with polarization-selected optical feedback

We study experimentally and numerically the dynamic states of chaotic oscillations in vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers (VCSELs) with polarization-selected optical feedback. We identify the regimes of fully-developed chaotic states, low-frequency fluctuations (LFFs), and coexistent states of LFFs and stable oscillation for the variations of the bias injection current and the optical feedback ratio. In particular, coexistent states of LFFs and stable oscillations are observed at higher optical feedback ratio and lower bias injection current. We draw maps of dynamic states in the space of the bias injection current and the optical feedback ratio. The qualitative agreement between the theory and the experiment is found.     

Intensity and polarization self-pulsations in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

We implement a dynamic model that describes the polarization behavior in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers that contain an absorbing region surrounding the active zone. We find four regions of qualitatively different behavior: stable linearly polarized operation, intensity pulsations of a linearly polarized component, pulsations of both total-intensity and polarization components, and polarization self-pulsation with constant total intensity. We characterize the four regions by computing the polarization-resolved optical and power spectra. The predicted behavior agrees with recent experimental results.     

Investigation polarization characteristics of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

We have improved transmission line laser model to study the polarization characteristics by incorporating into spin-flip model (SFM). Theoretical studies on the influence of the Bragg reflectivity on the polarization switching of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) have been discussed in this paper. We have demonstrated that reflectivity of Bragg reflectors can be optimized to provide suitable hysteresis loops width which indicates the tolerance of the input power.     

Suppression of polarization switching in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers by use of optical feedback

The polarization properties of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) subject to optical feedback are studied experimentally. It is thereby demonstrated that polarization-selective optical feedback can be utilized to entirely eliminate VCSEL polarization switching over the entire device operating range.     

Experimental study of polarization switching of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers as a dynamical bifurcation

We study the role of the bias current sweep rate in measurements of polarization switching (PS) of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). We show that the polarization-resolved L-I (light-intensity) curve depends on the current sweep rate. As the current sweep rate increases, the PS occurs at higher bias currents for upward scans and at lower bias currents for downward scans. We also show that the delay of the dynamical bifurcation follows a power law relationship with the frequency of the ramp, in good agreement with recent theoretical predictions.     

Bifurcation to polarization self-modulation in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Experiments have yielded polarization self-modulation in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) subject to a pi/2 polarization-rotating optical feedback. The phenomenon has been simulated numerically, but its bifurcation has never been explained. We show that polarization self-modulation results from a Hopf bifurcation mechanism that can be analyzed in terms of the laser feedback parameters. Our analysis predicts other bifurcations for low values of the feedback rate, which explain why more-complex time-dependent outputs have been observed as alternatives to polarization self-modulation.     

Suppressing nonlinear dynamics induced by external optical feedback in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

A numerical study of using external optical injection to suppress the nonlinear dynamics introduced by external optical feedback in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) has been undertaken. The model under consideration is a master–slave configuration where the master VCSEL provides the continuous wave to control the nonlinear behaviors arising in the slave VCSEL. Simulation results indicate that the feedback-induced nonlinear dynamics (e.g. chaotic, single-periodic, and multi-periodic oscillations), relative intensity noise (RIN) as well as the coherence collapse can be suppressed effectively as long as the injection is strong enough to overcome the nonlinear effects of the feedback.     

On the thermal resistance of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Thermal properties of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are studied using their comprehensive, three-dimensional, self-consistent, thermal-electrical simulation. The thermal resistance versus operation current relation is found to be completely different for two basic VCSEL configurations, i.e. for proton-implanted top-surface-emitting lasers (top-emitting VCSELs) and etched-well lasers (bottom-emitting VCSELs). The above fact is explained using a concept of the average centre of heat generation within a laser volume and its shift with an increase in an operation current. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Synchronization of chaos in unidirectionally coupled vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

Synchronization of chaos is achieved experimentally in unidirectionally coupled external-cavity vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers operating in an open-loop regime. Synchronization is observed when the polarization of the transmitter is perpendicular to the polarization (x polarization) of the free-running receiver. The ratio of transmitter output to y-polarized receiver output power shows normal (positive-slope) synchronization. However, inverse (negative-slope) synchronization is found to arise between the transmitter output and the x-polarized receiver output power.     

Polarization and transverse-mode dynamics of gain-guided vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Transverse-mode competition and polarization selection in gain-guided vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers are studied by use of a transverse continuous model that incorporates basic physical mechanisms of polarization dynamics. Polarization stability and polarization switching within the fundamental Gaussian mode are described. The first-order transverse mode always starts lasing orthogonally polarized to the fundamental one. At larger currents polarization coexists with several active transverse modes. These results are shown to be sensitive to the carrier spin-flip relaxation rate.     

Optical feedback induces polarization mode hopping in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers subjected to weak polarization-insensitive optical feedback are studied experimentally and theoretically. We find that the feedback induces random anticorrelated hopping between the two orthogonal linearly polarized modes. This polarization mode hopping is accompanied by rapid anticorrelated oscillations in the linearly polarized intensities at the external-cavity frequency. The study of a simple stochastic delay differential equation suggests that these oscillations generated by the delay are typical of any hopping phenomenon between states.     

Tailoring wave chaos in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers via polarization control

We demonstrate that polarization control in combination with the geometrical shape affects wave chaos phenomena in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). In a grating-polarization-stabilized VCSEL, we demonstrate wave chaos in one polarization mode and a transition from wave chaos to regular behavior in the other orthogonal polarization mode. We quantify the amount of chaoticity via the Brody nearest-neighbor distribution. Comparing with a reference VCSEL without a surface-grating, we explain these results and their injection current dependence by the surface-grating-induced mode selection and a change in the effective resonator shape.     

Coherent polarization stabilization in large-aperture rectangular post bottom-emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

The output characteristics of large-aperture rectangular post bottom-emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) were investigated. It was shown that the output power of the rectangle VCSELs can be up to 660 mW at a current of 5 A. Both H-polarization (horizontal) and V-polarization (vertical) demonstrated a coherent stabilization over the entire range of operation current, and coherent spectrum blue-shift of H-polarization light occurred with respect to V-polarization light at three different injected currents. The polarization states of output light were stabilized in the two orthogonal directions and H-polarization was the most principal polarization which was parallel to the longer side of the rectangular aperture. From the relationship between polarization ratio and aspect ratio of the oxidation confinement aperture (OCA), it was found that the highest polarization ratio (about 2:1) took place when the appropriate aspect ratio was 5:3, which meant better polarization stabilization in large-aperture VCSELs.     

垂直腔面发射激光器的电路模拟

通过分析垂直腔面发射激光器的速率方程,并结合电子电路的特点,建立了等效电路模型。采用数值计算和电路模拟两种方法给出了垂直腔面发射激光器的频率响应特性。通过分析,证明了电路模型的正确性。通过电路模拟得出了脉冲调制的响应特性,验证了激光器固有的电光延迟和张驰振荡现象。