PT-symmetric Talbot effects

We show that complex PT-symmetric photonic lattices can lead to a new class of self-imaging Talbot effects. For this to occur, we find that the input field pattern has to respect specific periodicities dictated by the symmetries of the system. While at the spontaneous PT-symmetry breaking point the image revivals occur at Talbot lengths governed by the characteristics of the passive lattice, at the exact phase it depends on the gain and loss parameter, thus allowing one to control the imaging process.

Dynamic behavior of an injection-locked quantum-dash Fabry-Perot laser at zero-detuning

This work investigates the behavior of a zero-detuned optically-injected quantum-dash Fabry-Perot laser as the injected field ratio is increased from near-zero to levels resulting in stable locking. Using a normalized model describing optically-injected semiconductor lasers, variations in the slave laser's free-running characteristics are shown to have a strong impact on the coupled system's behavior. The theoretical model is verified experimentally using a high resolution spectrometer. It is found that the quantum-dash laser has the technological advantage of a low linewidth enhancement factor at low bias currents that suppresses undesirable Period-2 and chaotic behavior. Such observations suggest that optically-injected quantum-dash lasers can be used as an enabling component for tunable photonic oscillators.

Bistability of pulsating intensities for double-locked laser diodes

Rate equations for semiconductor lasers subjected to simultaneous near-resonant optical injection and microwave current modulation are examined by combined analytical-numerical bifurcation techniques. Simple qualitative criteria are given for a bistable response. These results compare well with experimental measurements.

Regular dynamics of low-frequency fluctuations in external cavity semiconductor lasers

It is commonly believed that the dynamics responsible for low-frequency fluctuations (LFF's) in external cavity semiconductor lasers is stochastic or chaotic. A common approach to address the origin of LFF's is to investigate the dynamical behavior of, and the interaction among, various external cavity modes in the Lang-Kobayashi (LK) paradigm. In this paper, we propose a framework for understanding of the LFFs based on a different set of fundamental solutions of the LK equations, which are periodic or quasiperiodic, and which are characterized by a sequence of time-locked pulses with slowly varying magnitude. We present numerical evidence and heuristic arguments, indicating that the dynamics of LFF's emerges as a result of quasiperiodic bifurcations from these solutions as the pumping current increases. Regular periodic solutions can actually be observed when (1) the feedback level is moderate, (2) pumping current is below solitary threshold, and (3) the linewidth enhancement factor is relatively large.

Stability and bifurcations of periodically modulated, optically injected laser diodes

Recent experiments using lasers subject to external injection [T. B. Simpson, Opt. Commun., 170, 93 (1999)] have shown remarkable locking performances when a small reference current modulation is added to the dc-bias current. The locking problem is studied analytically by using a multiple scale perturbation method. We derive a slow time amplitude equation for the laser rapid limit-cycle oscillations. The solution of this equation is then investigated both analytically and numerically using a continuation method. We find that the intensity of the laser field can be time periodic (locking) or quasiperiodic (unlocking) and that there exist two distinct bifurcation mechanisms leading to locking. Finally, we compare bifurcation diagrams based on our amplitude equation with diagrams obtained from the laser original equations and find a good quantitative agreement.