Switching time and energy in bistable injection-locked semiconductor multi-quantum-well Fabry-Perot lasers

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the influence of the linewidth enhancement factor and active region volume on the switching characteristics of bistable injection-locked multi-quantum-well Fabry-Perot lasers. In this analysis we start from the full scale model of the multimode rate equation system describing dynamics of injection-locked lasers. On the basis of this model, we derive a simple analytical procedure for calculation of switching time and energy with respect to the injection power, and for different values of frequency detuning between the master and the slave laser. We find that the higher values of linewidth and active region volume can improve switching characteristics of injection-locked Fabry-Perot lasers, providing either shorter switching times (∼10 ps) or lower switching energies (∼1 fJ).

Switching of Bistable Injection-Locked Fabry–Pérot Laser by Frequency Detuning Variation

“…The analysis of the bistability controlled by the Δω variation, requires the calculation of the HLs profiles for IL FP-LD, which are the manifestation of bistability, as shown in our previous publications [16]- [19]. The hysteresis loops can be obtained for several quantities of the SL.…”

“…The next step assumes repeating the same procedure, but for finite values of P inj and Δω corresponding to IL state of the SL. In [17]- [19] we had shown that there is a certain range of both P inj and Δω for which (7) might have up to three roots, i.e., stationary points, as opposed to only one outside this range. Once the carrier densities corresponding to the stationary points n (i) sp are found from (7), it is possible to evaluate the photon densities for all the unlocked and locked side modes by inserting n (i) sp into S j (n) = −B(n)/A j (n, ω j ), S m (n), and θ m (n), given by (5)-(6).…”

“…In order to exploit (7) in the evaluation of the stationary carrier density, i.e., stationary states, it is necessary to set the input parameters for the SL: bias current I, frequency detuning Δω, and injection optical power P inj , related to the input photon density via P inj = S inj η 0 ωV /(τ p Γ), with η 0 = 0.33 standing for the optical efficiency [17]- [19]. The procedure of finding the stationary states and the corresponding relevant quantities of the SL is following.…”

Phase space of tristability in dual injection-locked Fabry-Perot laser diodes

“…The model of a particular slave laser (SL) based on a multi quantum well structure [13],whose bistability has been experimentally confirmed [14],predicts a switching time shorter than 10 ps, as well as sub fJ switching energy, though not simultaneously, but at the expense of one another [15]. Further analysis indicates that the two stable states, obtained by this approach, exhibit different characteristics.…”

“…In this paper we show that for a certain range of injection parameters, as a consequence of dual injection-locking, a slave laser can have up to 5 stationary points, 3 of which can be stable. As in the case of single injection-locking, where we perform switching between two stable states [15], switching between these three states can also be performed by variation of injection power or frequency detuning.…”