On the probabilistic characterization of side mode fluctuations in pulse-modulated nearly-single-mode semiconductor lasers

Occasionally, a weak side mode in a pulse-modulated nearly-single-mode semiconductor laser can process a significant portion of the total laser output power during the leading edge of a pulse. When combined with the group velocity dispersion of single-mode optical fibers, this mode partitioning can influence the bit error ratio performance of high-speed lightwave systems. Simulation-based solutions of stochastic rate equations, which describe the modulation dynamics of the laser, are used to characterize the side-mode fluctuations probabilistically