Mapping bifurcation structure and parameter dependence in quantum dot spin-VCSELs

Wideband and high-dimensional chaos generation using optically pumped spin-VCSELs

We propose and numerically demonstrate wideband and high-dimensional chaos signal generation based on optically pumped spin-polarized vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (spin-VCSELs). Here, we focus on the chaotic characteristics of spin-VCSELs under two scenarios: one is a spin-VCSEL with optical feedback and the other is optical heterodyning the outputs of two free-running spin-VCSELs. Specifically, we systematically investigate the influence of some key parameters on the chaotic properties, i.e., bandwidth, spectral flatness (SF), time delay signature (TDS), correlation dimension (CD), and permutation entropy (PE), and reveal the route to enhance these properties simultaneously. Our simulation results demonstrate for the first time that spin-VCSELs with simple auxiliary configurations allow for chaos generation with desired properties, including effective bandwidth up to 30 GHz and above, no TDS of greater than 0.2, the flatness of 0.75 and above, and the high complexity/dimensionality over a wide range of parameters under both schemes. Therefore, our study may pave the way for potential applications requiring wideband and high-dimensional chaos.

Optical chaos generated in semiconductor lasers with intensity-modulated optical injection:a numerical study

We numerically report on an optical chaos signal generation scheme based on a semiconductor laser subject to intensity-modulated (IM) optical injection. In this scheme, the characteristics of the chaos signal obtained by destabilizing period-one nonlinear dynamics are numerically investigated. With the aid of bifurcation diagrams and the 0-1 tests for chaos, the chaotic dynamics excited by continuous-wave and IM optical injection are located, and the effects of injection and modulation parameters on chaotic regions are illustrated. Moreover, effective bandwidths and auto-correlation characteristics of chaos signals from the IM optical injection system are systematically investigated. The results show that although chaotic signals under the IM optical injection scenario have a limitation in unambiguous range detection in most parameter regions, wideband chaotic dynamics in large injection and modulation parameter regions can be easily achieved. This study paves the way for potential applications requiring no time-delay signature and broad bandwidth chaos, such as high-speed chaos communications and random bit generation.

High-speed secure key distribution based on chaos synchronization in optically pumped QD spin-polarized VCSELs

We propose and numerically demonstrate a high-speed secure key distribution (SKD) based on polarization-keying chaos synchronization in two quantum dot (QD) spin-polarized vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) without any external feedback. In this scheme, high-quality chaos synchronization can be obtained when the response lasers have the same polarization ellipticity. The proposed SKD scheme is benefited from the feasible tunability of the pump polarization ellipticity, and no other complex components are necessary. Moreover, the open-loop configuration is constructed in the commonly driven lasers and results in a short synchronization recovery time of hundreds of picoseconds, which is much shorter than that in most previous reports. Combined with these merits, a 1.34 Gb/s SKD with a bit error ratio lower than 3.8 × 10^-3 can be achieved. The current study provides a new way to realize high-speed physical key distribution.

Numerical Analysis of Nonlinear Dynamics Based on Spin-VCSELs with Optical Feedback

In this paper, the nonlinear dynamics of a novel model based on optically pumped spin-polarized vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (spin-VCSELs) with optical feedback is investigated numerically. Due to optical feedback being the external disturbance component, the complex nonlinear dynamical behaviors can be enhanced and the regions of different nonlinear dynamics in size can be extended with appropriate parameters of spin-VCSELs. According to the equations of the modified spin-flip model (SFM), the comparison of bifurcation diagrams is first presented for the clear presentation of different routes to chaos. Meanwhile, numerous bifurcation diagrams in color are illustrated to demonstrate the rich dynamical regimes intuitively, and the crucial effects of optical feedback strength, feedback delay, linewidth enhancement factor, and spin-flip relaxation rate on the region evolvement of complex dynamics of the proposed model are revealed to investigate the dependence of dynamical behaviors on external and internal parameters when the optical feedback scheme is introduced. These parameters play a remarkable role in enhancing the mechanism of complex dynamic oscillations. Furthermore, utilizing combination with time series, power spectra, and phase portraits, the various dynamical behaviors observed in the bifurcation diagram are simulated numerically. Correspondingly, the powerful measure 0–1 test is employed to distinguish between chaos and non-chaos.

Introduction to the Issue on Physics and Applications of Laser Dynamics (IS-PALD 2017)

In this paper, we introduce the Optics Express feature issue of the 7th International Symposium on Physics and Applications of Laser Dynamics (IS-PALD). This issue consists of expanded papers related to oral and poster presentations. Selected papers represent the best of IS-PALD 2017.

Analysis and characterization of chaos generated by free-running and optically injected VCSELs

We report on the dynamics of free-running and optically injected VCSELs. In particular, the powerful measures including the 0-1 test for chaos and permutation entropy are used for locating the chaotic dynamics in a free-running VCSEL, which illustrates the effects of some key parameters on the chaotic region. In order to enhance chaotic dynamics, the output of the free-running VCSEL (master) is injected to another free-running VCSEL (slave). Our results show that the chaotic dynamics of the slave VCSEL can be greatly enhanced, i.e., both the bandwidth and complexity, while this occurs only outside of the injection locking region where the correlation between the mater and slave lasers is low. To take advantage of these enhanced chaotic dynamics exhibiting extremely high complexity and broadband bandwidth, a three-laser synchronization scheme is proposed and demonstrated. These findings pave the way to the generation of high-quality chaos (no time-delay signature, high bandwidth and complexity) and notably chaos-based applications based on free-running and optically injected VCSELs.