Extreme events in frequency-swept semiconductor lasers

We analyze a delay differential equation model for a frequency-swept semiconductor laser and demonstrate existence of extreme events in its dynamics, with probabilities heavily dependent on the sweep rate. The extreme events appear even in absence of any noise in the system and do not exhibit significant dependence on its presence. We investigate the problem numerically and show that intensity dynamics of these events are highly localized in the filter detuning space. Overlaying it with the structure of steady-state and periodic solutions of the static system, we show that the dynamics is governed by attraction to these periodic solutions and such extreme events occur as a result of passing through the region of stable high-intensity bridge of periodic solutions.