Self-organization in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers: polarization selection and polarization dynamics

Experiments on polarization switching (PS) of vertical surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are performed . Switching takes place to the mode with the lower saturated net gain. The experimental data are analyzed using an extension of the original model that treats the semiconductor susceptibility in a low-temperature free-electron approximation. Results are consistent with spin-flip model (SFM) and the observed phenomena can be reproduced in the SFM approach, if the spin flip rate coupling the two spin subsystems is of the order of 20 × 10⁹ s^-1.