Observation of electro-activated localized structures in broad area VCSELs

TL;DR

This paper reports the experimental observation of electro-activated localized structures in broad-area VCSELs, achieved by electro-optically steering a writing beam via a photorefractive funnel waveguide, enabling control of localized optical states.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method for controlling localized structures in broad-area VCSELs using electro-optic steering with a photorefractive waveguide.

Findings

Localized structures can be electro-activated in VCSELs below threshold.

Electro-optic steering enables precise control of the writing beam.

The method demonstrates potential for optical information processing.

Abstract

We demonstrate experimentally the electro-activation of a localized optical structure in a coherently driven broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) operated below threshold. Control is achieved by electro-optically steering a writing beam through a pre-programmable switch based on a photorefractive funnel waveguide.