Mode selection and stability of a semiconductor laser with weak optical feedback

Author

Binder, Jann O. ; Cormack, George D.

Author_Institution

Alberta Telecommun. Res. Centre, Edmonton, Alta., Canada

Volume

25

Issue

11

fYear

1989

fDate

11/1/1989 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2255

Lastpage

2259

Abstract

The authors present measurements that show that a semiconductor laser with weak optical feedback oscillates in the external-cavity mode with the narrowest linewidth rather than the mode with minimum threshold gain. A frequency fluctuation model that explains this narrowest linewidth operation is proposed. This model also correctly predicts mode-hopping frequencies. It is shown that the frequency span of the external-cavity modes determines the critical feedback level that causes coherence collapse

Keywords

distributed feedback lasers; feedback; fluctuations; laser cavity resonators; laser frequency stability; laser modes; semiconductor junction lasers; coherence collapse; critical feedback; external-cavity mode; frequency fluctuation model; frequency span; mode selection; mode-hopping frequencies; narrowest linewidth; semiconductor laser; stability; weak optical feedback; Coherence; Fluctuations; Frequency; Gain measurement; Laser feedback; Laser modes; Laser stability; Optical feedback; Predictive models; Semiconductor lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.42053

Filename

42053