Adaptive mode selection based on chaotic search in a Fabry-Perot laser diode

This paper describes mode-transition dynamics of a compound-cavity, multimode, Fabry-Perot (FP) semiconductor laser and the basic idea of adaptive wavelength selection using chaotic search. In the presence of external feedback, the laser is shown to exhibit different mode-competition dynamics including single-mode, multistability, and chaotic mode-transition states. A chaotic search technique is proposed to adaptively select a dominant lasing mode which fits the environment by switching a control parameter (feedback level or bias injection) between multistability and chaotic mode-transition states. The effectiveness of the adaptive mode selection is verified through a computer simulation and the robustness as well as the experimental implementation of the technique are discussed.