Interactions between closely coupled GaAs injection lasers

Interaction effects between injection lasers have been experimentally studied at 2°K and 77°K under pulse conditions in a single block configuration which permits close optical coupling between the lasers. This close coupling made previously reported effects an order of magnitude more prominent and revealed a new effect. The reduction of the threshold current of one laser by the influence of the coherent beam of a second laser by as much as a factor five has been observed. With respect to the quenching of one laser by a second laser, a quenching ratio (defined as the ratio of the quenched power to the quenching power) of 0.7 was obtained. A new effect observed was the reduction of the threshold current of one laser by the influence of the spontaneous emission from a second laser. A reduction of 10 per cent is typical for this effect. A qualitative discussion treating the two lasers as one optical cavity is given to incorporate these effects into one coherent picture. Logical device applications are also discussed.