Polarization-switching based prototype optical flip-flop operation of a 1.55-μm wavelength single-mode vertical cavity surface emitting laser

We report an experimental demonstration of prototype all-optical flip-flop operation of a conventional cylindrical shaped 1.55-mum wavelength single-mode vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) based on polarization-switching under external laser beam injection. Two injection beams with orthogonal polarizations were used to control the output beam pattern of the slave VCSEL. The polarized beam injection control of the VCSEL output was demonstrated at a 100 kHz modulation speed and 3 mus pulse width which could be increased further with optimized operating conditions.