Non-equilibrium dynamics in the dual-wavelength operation of Vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasers

TL;DR

This paper investigates the non-equilibrium carrier dynamics responsible for dual-wavelength operation in vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasers using microscopic many-body theory and numerical simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive theoretical and numerical framework to analyze and identify regimes for stable dual-wavelength operation in these lasers.

Findings

Identification of parameter regimes for dual-wavelength operation

Observation of anti-correlated intensity noise

Proposal of a filtering method for stabilization

Abstract

Microscopic many-body theory coupled to Maxwell's equation is used to investigate dual-wavelength operation in vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasers. The intrinsically dynamic nature of coexisting emission wavelengths in semiconductor lasers is associated with characteristic non-equilibrium carrier dynamics which causes significant deformations of the quasi-equilibrium gain and carrier inversion. Extended numerical simulations are employed to efficiently investigate the parameter space to identify the regime for two-wavelength operation. Using a frequency selective intracavity etalon, two families of modes are stabilized with dynamical interchange of the strongest emission peaks. For this operation mode, anti-correlated intensity noise is observed in agreement with the experiment. A method using effective frequency selective filtering is suggested for stabilization genuine dual-wavelength output.