Transient analysis of optical bistability in inhomogeneously pumped lasers

Author

Perkins, M.C. ; Ormondroyd, R.F.

Author_Institution

Sch. of Electr. Eng., Bath Univ., UK

Volume

135

Issue

2

fYear

1988

fDate

4/1/1988 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

133

Lastpage

145

Abstract

Inhomogeneously pumped devices such as SLEDS and multisegment lasers are known to exhibit absorptive bistability. A new model of the transient behaviour of the optical output during switching is presented for this class of device for the case of both optical and electrical triggering. The model includes the wavelength dependence of the stimulated gain and the spontaneous emission characteristics of the active material. The variation of the photon flux along the length of the laser is also taken into account. Results are obtained for GaAs/GaAlAs devices. Optically induced switching is demonstrated for different wavelengths of the injected light, and the effect of triggering the device by optical injection into either the pumped or the passive segment is examined

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; optical bistability; optical pumping; semiconductor junction lasers; semiconductor switches; GaAs-GaAlAs; SLEDS; absorptive bistability; active material; electrical triggering; inhomogeneously pumped lasers; injected light; multisegment lasers; optical bistability; optical injection; optical triggering; optically induced switching; passive segment; photon flux; pumped segment; semiconductors; spontaneous emission; stimulated gain;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Optoelectronics, IEE Proceedings J

Publisher

iet

ISSN

0267-3932

Type

jour

Filename

6847