Pulsed Optical Injection Steering in Multistable Semiconductor Laser Arrays under Correlated Noise

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that pulsed optical injection can reliably steer multistable VCSEL arrays to desired states, even under correlated noise, enabling programmable control of laser array states.

Contribution

It introduces a method for state control in multistable laser arrays using transient optical pulses, validated through delay-coupled models and noise analysis.

Findings

Pulsed optical injection can steer laser arrays to specific stable states.

The method remains effective under correlated noise conditions.

Noise can destabilize states with small basins of attraction.

Abstract

We demonstrate robust programmable state preparation in small VCSEL arrays with optical feedback using transient optical injection in the form of Gaussian pulses. In Lang--Kobayashi type models of delay-coupled 2- and 3-laser arrays, multistability gives rise to coexisting synchronized and symmetry-broken equilibrium branches. We show that short injection pulses applied to one or more lasers can steer the system from free-running operation to any stable equilibrium branch in the absence of noise by appropriate choice of pulse detuning and amplitude, after which the selected state persists without continued forcing. With correlated noise, injection steering remains effective, but branches with small basins of attraction are effectively destabilized by noise. These results validate pulsed injection as a practical mechanism for attractor selection in multistable VCSEL arrays and point to a feasible route toward experimental realization of programmable collective-state control.