Numerical study of the picosecond intensity behavior of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser in the low-frequency fluctuations regime

We have investigated numerically the picosecond intensity behavior of the two linearly polarized modes of a VCSEL in the low-frequency fluctuations (LFF) regime, using a spin-flip model (SFM). We have shown that two distinct behaviors can be obtained depending on whether we observe the picosecond intensities just after a power drop-out or after the recovery process. A simplified version of the SFM, which does not allow to observe polarization switching, has also been studied. This simplified model predicts qualitatively different behavior on the picosecond time scale than the complete model. This leads us to think that the polarization switching plays a role within the LFF regime in a VCSEL.