Fast dynamics of low-frequency fluctuations in a quantum-dot laser with optical feedback.

The low-frequency fluctuations and high-dimensional chaos with 12.2 correlation dimensions were generated experimentally by a semiconductor laser with optical feedback. Extensive experimental and numerical studies were performed to reveal the evolution process from low-frequency fluctuations to chaos. Our results showed that there exists a obvious critical point for the semiconductor laser's bias current. When the bias current Ib is set below 1.03Ith, the peak-to-peak value of the low-frequency fluctuations increases at first and then decreases with the feedback strength decreasing, while its average period keeps decreasing. In this process, the output of the semiconductor laser never goes chaos. However, when the bias current Ib is set beyond 1.03Ith, chaos appears and is persistent in this range. Moreover, the peak-to-peak value of the low-frequency fluctuations increases continuouslly and its duration decreases with the decrease of the feedback strength. Three stages experienced in the process leading from stable emission and low-frequency fluctuation to chaos are established. Numerical simulations are well consistent with the experimental results.

We measure experimentally the statistical distribution of time intervals between power-dropout events occurring in a semiconductor laser with time-delayed optical feedback operating in the low-frequency fluctuation regime. Near the laser threshold, the time-interval probability distribution displays a low-probability region, or dead zone, for short times, followed by a slow rise, and an exponential decay for long times. At higher injection currents, the distributions develop considerable structure. We compare our results to the predictions of approximate analytic models of the laser dynamics and find that no single model accurately captures the details of the observed distributions, indicating that our physical understanding of the long-term dynamics of the laser in this regime is less than complete.

All-optical schemes for controlling complex delay-induced and spatio-temporal dynamics in multi-stripe and broad-area semiconductor lasers are presented. The underlying control-principle is based on continuous delayed optical feedback. Its influence on the general spatiotemporal dynamics of semiconductor lasers is discussed. The delayed feedback control principle allows successful control of delay-induced chaotic behavior as well as the dynamic optical filamentation in broad-area and multi-stripe lasers. The suppression of spatiotemporal instabilities in semiconductor laser arrays is achieved by selectively stabilizing relevant transverse optical modes. The relevant values of delay-times and delay-phase are obtained from a nonlinear eigenmode analysis based on a complex extension of the Karhunen-Loeve decomposition. Thereby a destructive interference condition in the higher-order transverse modes conveying the instabilities is achieved. The stabilization technique is demonstrated on multi-stripe laser arrays. In high-power broad-area lasers the spatiotemporal filamentation processes occur on both macroscopic and microscopic scales. Numerical simulations on the basis of Maxwell-Bloch equations for spatially extended semiconductor lasers reveal the internal spatial and temporal scales on which control consequently has to occur. It is demonstrated that the combined filamentation and propagation effects may be controlled by suitable spatially structured delayed optical feedback allowing, in particular, the control of coherent regimes in originally temporally and spatially chaotic states.

We demonstrate the existence of chaos in physical dynamics of a semiconductor laser with ac-coupled optoelectronic feedback. Effects of laser injection current and feedback strength on spiking occurrence have been demonstrated. Results show that, the injection current and the feedback strength cause different dynamics regime. In addition periodic, periodic-doubling and chaotic, Mixed Mode Oscillation has been observed.

We discuss in detail a new mechanism of nonlinearity of the light-current characteristic (LCC) in heterostructure lasers with reduced-dimensionality active regions, such as quantum wells (QWs), quantum wires (QWRs), and quantum dots (QDs). It arises from: 1) noninstantaneous carrier capture into the quantum-confined active region and 2) nonlinear (in the carrier density) recombination rate outside the active region. Because of 1), the carrier density outside the active region rises with injection current, even above threshold, and because of 2), the useful fraction of current (that ends up as output light) decreases. We derive a universal closed-form expression for the internal differential quantum efficiency /spl eta//sub int/ that holds true for QD, QWR, and QW lasers. This expression directly relates the power and threshold characteristics. The key parameter, controlling /spl eta//sub int/ and limiting both the output power and the LCC linearity, is the ratio of the threshold values of the recombination current outside the active region to the carrier capture current into the active region. Analysis of the LCC shape is shown to provide a method for revealing the dominant recombination channel outside the active region. A critical dependence of the power characteristics on the laser structure parameters is revealed. While the new mechanism and our formal expressions describing it are universal, we illustrate it by detailed exemplary calculations specific to QD lasers. These calculations suggest a clear path for improvement of their power characteristics. In properly optimized QD lasers, the LCC is linear and the internal quantum efficiency is close to unity up to very high injection-current densities (15 kA/cm/sup 2/). Output powers in excess of 10 W at /spl eta//sub int/ higher than 95% are shown to be attainable in broad-area devices. Our results indicate that QD lasers may possess an advantage for high-power applications.

The nonlinear dynamics of a semiconductor laser with coherent, as compared to incoherent, delayed optical feedback systems have been discussed and contrasted in prior research literature. Here, we report simulations of how the dynamics change as the coherence of the optical feedback is systematically varied from being coherent, through several levels of partial coherence, to incoherent. An increasing rate of phase disturbance is used to vary the coherence. An edge-emitting, 830nm, Fabry-Perot semiconductor laser with a long external cavity is simulated. Following this study, consideration of prior and future experimental studies should include evaluation of where on the continuum of partial coherence the delayed optical feedback sits. The level of partial coherence is an important factor affecting the dynamics.

Semiconductor lasers exhibit a wealth of dynamics, from emission of a constant beam of light, to periodic oscillations and excitability. Self-pulsing regimes, where the laser periodically releases a short pulse of light, are particularly interesting for many applications, from material science to telecommunications. Self-pulsing regimes need to produce pulses very regularly and, as such, they are also known to be particularly sensitive to perturbations, such as noise or light injection. We investigate the effect of delayed optical feedback on the dynamics of a self-pulsing semiconductor laser with saturable absorber (SLSA). More precisely, we consider the Yamada model with delay -- a system of three delay-differential equations (DDEs) for two slow and one fast variable -- which has been shown to reproduce accurately self-pulsing features as observed in SLSA experimentally. This model is also of broader interest because it is quite closely related to mathematical models of other self-pulsing systems, such as excitable spiking neurons. We perform a numerical bifurcation analysis of the Yamada model with delay, where we consider both the feedback delay, the feedback strength and the strength of pumping as bifurcation parameters. We find a rapidly increasing complexity of the system dynamics when the feedback delay is increased from zero. In particular, there are new feedback-induced dynamics: stable quasi-periodic oscillations on tori, as well as a large degree of multistability, with up to five pulse-like stable periodic solutions with different amplitudes and repetition rates. An attractor map in the plane of perturbations on the gain and intensity reveals a Cantor set-like, intermingled structure of the different basins of attraction. This suggests that, in practice, the multistable laser is extremely sensitive to small perturbations.

During the last decade reservoir computing (RC) has proven to be a powerful machine learning concept using recurrent networks to process sequential information streams [1]. Lately, the concept of RC was drastically simplified to reduce hardware requirements, thus making machine learning concepts more obtainable to apply in actual physical systems [2]. RC has been implemented in photonic configurations and has efficientiy processed analog optical signals following simple schemes and minimal training overhead. Especially the realization using a semiconductor laser with time-delayed optical feedback has shown the potential of all-optical machine learning, utilizing signals with transient states at the GHz regime [3].

We experimentally and numerically study the statistical properties of a semiconductor laser with time-delayed optical feedback. Our systematic analyses show that the statistical distribution of the raw intensity obtained from experiments is better fitted by a Laplacian distribution; both in experiments and simulations, the distribution pattern of the differential signal obtained from two independent intensities, as well as of that computed from its high-order finite differences, converges to a well-fitted Gaussian profile for high pump currents. This helps us to understand the changes in statistical properties of the intensity with varying control parameters and achieve desired entropy sources for random number generators. Furthermore, in numerical simulations, we find the distribution of the differential signal undergoes a marked transition from a Gaussian to Laplacian profile as the feedback rate increases at low to moderate pump currents.

With a proper perturbation, even a single-mode semiconductor laser can exhibit highly complex dynamical characteristics ranging from stable, narrow-linewidth oscillation to broadband chaos. In recent years, three approaches to invoke complex nonlinear dynamical states in a single-mode semiconductor laser have been thoroughly studied: optical injection, optical feedback, and optoelectronic feedback. In each case, the nonlinear dynamics of the semiconductor laser depends on five intrinsic laser parameters and three operational parameters. The dynamical state of a given laser can be precisely controlled by properly adjusting the three operational parameters. This ability to control the dynamical behavior of a laser, combined with the understanding of its characteristics, opens up the opportunity for a wide range of novel applications. This paper illustrates the utilization of the rich nonlinear dynamics of single-mode semiconductor lasers by focusing on the period-one oscillation for its applications in tunable photonic microwave generation, AM-to-FM conversion, and dual-frequency precision Doppler lidar.

We analyze the dynamics of a mode-locked quantum-dot edge-emitting semiconductor laser consisting of reversely biased saturable absorber and forward biased amplifying sections. To describe spatial non-uniformity of laser parameters, optical fields and carrier distributions we use the traveling wave model, which takes into account carrier exchange processes between wetting layer and quantum dots. A comprehensive parameter study and an optical mode analysis of operation regimes are presented. © 2010 SPIE.

Time-delayed optical feedback triggers rich nonlinear dynamics and has been intensively studied in systems such as semiconductor lasers, Kerr resonators, fiber lasers and optical parametric oscillators [1]–[3]. In particular, harmonic mode-locking (HML) via delayed optical feedback is promising for realizing low-noise, high repetition rate optical combs [4]. Most previous works have focused on optimizing steady-state operation, leaving the formation dynamics of HML under delayed optical feedback unexplored. In this work, we use real-time dispersive Fourier transform (DFT) technique to reveal these dynamics in a dissipative soliton fiber laser.

We report a comprehensive experimental investigation of the nonlinear dynamics yielded in five photonic integrated circuits, each consisting of a semiconductor laser with optical feedback from a short external cavity. The external cavity lengths are different for each laser and range from 1.3 to 10.3 mm, allowing analysis of the dependence of the dynamical scenario on the feedback delay time. We draw two-dimensional bifurcation diagrams and study the relative predominance of the different dynamics exhibited in each laser when the feedback strength and the laser injection current are varied. We identify that, in the commonly termed short cavity regime, small variations of the external cavity length can result in totally different dynamical distributions, suggesting the possibility to use the feedback delay time as a means to control laser behaviors.

We investigate the mode-switching dynamics of an electrically driven bimodal quantum-dot micropillar laser when subject to delayed coherent optical feedback from a short external cavity. We experimentally characterize how the external cavity length, being on the same order than the microlaser’s coherence length, influences the spectral and dynamical properties of the micropillar laser. Moreover, we determine the relaxation oscillation frequency of the micropillar by superimposing optical pulse injection to a dc current. It is found that the optical pulse can be used to disturb the feedback-coupled laser within one roundtrip time in such a way that it reaches the same output power as if no feedback was present. Our results do not only expand the understanding of microlasers when subject to optical feedback from short external cavities, but pave the way towards tailoring the properties of this key nanophotonic system for studies in the quantum regime of self-feedback and its implementation to integrated photonic circuits.

The present study includes a synchronization study on the modelling of rate equations and a study of the dynamics of a quantum dot semiconductor laser (QDSL). The dynamics of a quantum dot semiconductor laser depend on several factors including the delay time, as studied in this research via visual feedback, and by relying on practical results. A systematic study of communications for two quantum dots, the transmitter and receiver, and the possibility of synchronization between them, and a study of the relationship between the photon density, time, and the probability of filling the charge carriers over time. For different delay times ( 249 260 0.1)   to step and the pump current ratios , ( 1.5 ) T R th J J  and line width enhancement factor ( , ( 3.5) T R  are proven.