Impact of in-plane anisotropic strain on the polarization behavior of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

A numerical study of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with optical feedback demonstrates the existence of two different types of low-frequency fluctuations (LFFs). The competition of two equally dominant polarization modes characterizes one type of LFF, while the other type is characterized by power drops in a dominant polarization mode and power bursts in the orthogonal depressed mode. We characterize and compare these two types of LFFs on the basis of their polarization properties and their dependency on the laser parameters. We show furthermore that a transition is possible from one type of LFF to the other, depending on the values of the linear anisotropies of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser cavity.

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“…28 Second Panajotov et al reported control of VCSEL polarization and cavity anisotropies through application of strain on the VCSEL mounting. 29 …”

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confidence: 99%

Different regimes of low-frequency fluctuations in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

et al. 2003

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“…Another future line consists in changing the birefringence of the VCSEL sample, varying the distance in the central wavelength of both sub-combs and increasing also the modulation frequency range available. Experiments like this have been previously done in works like [18].…”

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confidence: 99%

Understanding VCSEL-Based Gain Switching Optical Frequency Combs: Experimental Study of Polarization Dynamics

Prior

Dios

Ortsiefer

et al. 2015

J. Lightwave Technol.

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This is a postprint version of the following published document:Prior, E.; Dios, C. de; Ortsiefer, M.; Meissner, P. and Acedo, P. (2015). Understanding VCSEL-based gain switching optical frequency combs: experimental study of polarization dynamics. Abstract-In this paper, we carry out an experimental study on the polarization properties of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) working under gain switching (GS) regime and the characteristics of the resulting optical frequency comb signal. We have observed that each of the two polarization modes presented in the VCSEL continuous wave emission spectrum generate a separate optical frequency comb (OFC) whose modes are phase correlated thanks to the GS regime. We study how these combs associated with the main and orthogonal polarization modes, respectively, vary depending on the input parameters to the VCSEL (bias current and radio-frequency power and frequency). The correlation between both OFCs in the best operation point as defined by the OFC characteristics is also evaluated. Therefore, this study demonstrates that two orthogonally polarized combs are generated that exhibit a high correlation between each other that combine to produce a wider overall optical comb. Hence, we can predict the feasibility of dual-polarization VCSEL-based OFC generators in the few gigahertz repetition frequency rates, with highly correlated modes and continuously tunable distance between them, in a compact and energy-and cost-efficient system that can find application in ultrafast laser dynamics studies and or in polarization-division multiplexing optical communications.Index Terms-Energy efficiency, gain switching (GS), laser diodes (LDs), optical frequency comb generator (OFCG), orthogonal mode, polarization switching, vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL).

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“…A prominent manifestation of the resulting polarization instabilities is the phenomenon of polarization switching, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] i.e. a sudden change to the linear state of polarization oriented orthogonally to the one selected at threshold, if the current surpasses a critical value.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These modes will, in general, also have a slightly different net gain (net gain = unsaturated gain -unsaturated losses), which results in the selection of the favored mode at threshold. 3 In this paper, the term 'dichroism' will be used to denote the resulting net gain anisotropy that results from various effects like mechanical stress, 3,7,12 anisotropic losses in the Bragg mirrors of the VCSELs 13 and gain differences for the polarization modes due to the different material gain that is caused by the different positions of the modes on the gain curve. 3 However, even at threshold the selection of the polarization state is not perfect in every device and under every operating condition.…”

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Dynamics and polarization effects in small-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers in free-running mode and with time-delayed feedback

et al. 2003

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The polarization dynamics of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers operating close to threshold is investigated experimentally. For free-running devices a characterization of the dynamics is given for a scenario when two modes are excited at threshold due to a small net gain anisotropy. The polarization dynamics in this regime are found to be governed by the relaxation oscillations and to exhibit an anticorrelation of the two modes. The level of anticorrelation is strongly depending on the injection current. If isotropic feedback by a distant reflector is added, the dynamics are governed by the external cavity round-trip time scale and low frequency fluctuations are observed for both modes. These are shown to occur also for large net gain anisotropy, but without excitation of polarization degrees of freedom.

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Impact of in-plane anisotropic strain on the polarization behavior of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Cited by 106 publications

References 11 publications

Different regimes of low-frequency fluctuations in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Different regimes of low-frequency fluctuations in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Understanding VCSEL-Based Gain Switching Optical Frequency Combs: Experimental Study of Polarization Dynamics

Dynamics and polarization effects in small-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers in free-running mode and with time-delayed feedback

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