Analysis of monolithic parallel-compound-cavity semiconductor lasers for high brightness, single-frequency, and short pulse operation

Summary form only given. Recent advances in monolithic integration technology have led to a number of new monolithic active and passive optical devices based on interferometric waveguide constructions, such as monolithic TDM and WDM multiplexers and demultiplexers. Here, we propose to apply the interferometric principle to design of semiconductor laser structures, resulting in parallel compound cavities (PCC). Whilst the idea of such a cavity allows numerous permutations, here we concentrate on the fractal-dimensional geometry in which light from two or more parallel waveguides is combined by means of a coupler (of either directional, Y-type, or multimode interference (MMI) type) into a single output waveguide. We theoretically analyse these structures using a model of their threshold, spectral and dynamical. Properties based on decomposition into modes of the active compound cavity and analysis of complex eigenfrequencies of these modes.