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Optica Applicata

Power-induced lasing state switching and bistability in a two-state quantum dot laser subject to optical injection

Zaifu Jiang, Zheng-Mao Wu, Elumalai Jayaprasath, Wen-Yan Yang, Chunxia Hu, Bing Cui, Guang-Qiong Xia

Published Jan 1, 2020• 2 citations

Abstract

We theoretically investigate power-induced lasing state switching and bistability in a two-state quantum dot laser subject to optical injection. The simulated results show that, for a free-running two-state quantum dot laser operating at the ground state under low current, a power-induced lasing state switching between the ground state and the excited state can be achieved through introducing optical injection with a frequency (winj) close to the lasing frequency of excited state (wES). The injection power required for the state switching depends on the scanning route of injection power, i.e. there may exist state bistability for the injection power within a certain region. For forward scanning injection power, with the increase of frequency detuning (ΔΩ = winj – wES), the injection power required for the state switching shows a decreasing trend accompanied by slight fluctuations. However, for backward scanning injection power, the injection power required for the state switching exhibits obvious fluctuations with the increase of ΔΩ. The width of the hysteresis loop fluctuates with ΔΩ, and the fluctuation amplitude is increased with the increase of the injection current. Additionally, the influences of the inhomogeneous broadening factor and the electron escape rate on the bistability performances are analyzed.

DOI: 10.37190/oa200209

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Quantum dot lasers can lase from the ground state only, simultaneously from both the ground and first excited states and from the excited state only. We examine the influence of optical injection at frequencies close to the ground state when the free-running operation of the device is excited state lasing only. We demonstrate the existence of an injection-induced bistability between ground state dominated emission and excited state dominated emission and the consequent hysteresis loop in the lasing output. Experimental and numerical investigations are in excellent agreement. Inhomogeneous broadening is found to be the underlying physical mechanism driving the phenomenon.

The behaviour of a dual state quantum dot laser undergoing optical injection is analysed. Depending on the injection current the free-running operation of the slave can be ground state only emission, both ground state and excited state emission or excited state emission only. Complete suppression of the excited state in the dual state lasing regime via sufficiently strong optical injection of the ground state is presented. Injection induced switching between two longitudinal modes of the ground state is also presented in the ground state only regime.

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