Optimizing optically injected semiconductor lasers for periodic dynamics with reduced sensitivity to perturbations

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Laser Physics
• Nonlinear Dynamics

Background:

• Optically injected semiconductor lasers exhibit complex dynamics, including period-one and period-two oscillations at microwave frequencies.
• These oscillations are susceptible to fluctuations in operating conditions, impacting device stability and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate methods for enhancing the insensitivity of periodic oscillations in optically injected semiconductor lasers to operational fluctuations.
• To systematically analyze the influence of intrinsic laser parameters on low-sensitivity operating points.

Main Methods:

• Numerical calculations were employed to simulate the behavior of optically injected semiconductor lasers.
• Detailed maps were generated to illustrate the effects of intrinsic parameters on operating points as functions of control parameters.

Main Results:

• Low sensitivity to bias current and injection strength fluctuations is favored by a small linewidth enhancement factor.
• Conversely, a large linewidth enhancement factor improves low sensitivity to detuning frequency fluctuations.
• A more negative gain saturation factor localizes low-sensitivity regions, while higher relaxation rates expand these regions.

Conclusions:

• Intrinsic laser parameters can be tailored to achieve robust, low-sensitivity periodic oscillations in optically injected semiconductor lasers.
• Understanding these parameter dependencies is crucial for designing stable and reliable optoelectronic devices operating at microwave frequencies.