Theoretical study on controlling nonlinear behaviors of a coupled-cavity VCSEL by external optical injection

A master-slave configuration used to control the nonlinear behaviors arising in a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) with strong external optical feedback is established. In terms of bifurcation diagram, time and frequency domain, the influence of the continuous optical injection from the master VCSEL on the nonlinear characteristics of the slave is investigated theoretically. For relatively weak injection, the slave still keeps its intrinsic nonlinear state. With increasing the injection strength, these nonlinear behaviors evolve to periodic fluctuation, and at last are replaced by the steady-state (e.g. the critical injection parameter for steady-state is 1.2 when external cavity’s reflectivity and length are 4% and 4 cm, respectively). During this evolution the bifurcation-contraction phenomena are also observed.