Title :
The mechanism of mode selection for an external cavity laser
Author :
Mork, Jesper ; Tromborg, B.
Author_Institution :
TFL Telecommun. Res. Lab., Horsholm, Denmark
Abstract :
The process of mode hopping between external cavity modes of a laser diode with optical feedback is described by analogy with noise driven transitions of a particle between potential valleys. The model explains why the dominant mode is the mode with the lowest linewidth and not the mode with the lowest carrier density. It also gives a simple analytic expression for the rate of mode hopping. The expression is shown to predict the results of computer simulations to a good approximation.<>
Keywords :
laser cavity resonators; laser modes; laser theory; semiconductor junction lasers; computer simulations; external cavity laser; external cavity modes; laser diode; lowest carrier density; lowest linewidth; mode hopping; mode selection; noise driven transitions; optical feedback; particle; potential valleys; simple analytic expression; Charge carrier density; Diode lasers; Equations; Frequency; Laser feedback; Laser modes; Laser noise; Laser transitions; Optical feedback; Optical noise;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
