Characteristics of Laser Cavity Solitons in a Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser With Feedback From a Volume Bragg Grating

In this paper, the properties of laser cavity solitons (CS) in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with feedback from a volume Bragg grating (VBG) are experimentally characterized. Independent optical manipulation of all eight possible bit states of three CS is demonstrated. Tilting the VBG provides evidence for different trapping states due to device disorder. The CS are found to ldquosplitrdquo from a single peak to two peaks with increasing current, then to more complex arrangements, which are strongly governed by the spatial inhomogeneities. Due to the lack of any dominant polarizing elements, the system shows complex polarization behavior; however, each stage of the CS evolution has an approximately constant polarization angle unique for each CS. The polarization state of the CS can be controlled by adding polarization-selective or changing optics into the cavity.