Phase-controlled slow and fast light in current-modulated semiconductor optical amplifiers

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates how phase-controlled current modulation in semiconductor optical amplifiers and VCSELs can dynamically control slow and fast light propagation, enabling tunable delay or advancement of optical signals.

Contribution

It introduces a method to manipulate light delay and advancement using phase-controlled current modulation in semiconductor devices, including VCSELs, considering cavity effects.

Findings

Phase control enables switching between delay and advancement of light signals.

Modulation depth tuning enhances the delay through structural resonance.

Cavity effects in VCSELs influence slow light behavior.

Abstract

We present a theoretical study of the slow and fast light propagation in semiconductor optical amplifiers based on coherent population oscillations. By modulating the injection current to force the population oscillations we can modify the delay or advancement of light signals. Specifically, it is shown that the relative phase of the optical signal to the bias current modulations can be used as a knob for changing light propagation from delay to advancement. In addition, we analyze the effect of the modulation current for slow light in vertical cavity surface emission lasers (VCSELs) by taking into account the cavity effects. It is shown that the change of the depth of the modulation allows to tune the structural resonance, which in turn produces an enhancement of the delay.