Non-linear dynamics of an injection locked single-mode quantum dot laser

InAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) lasers have demonstrated unique properties including enhanced stability in external-feedback, bidirectional coupling configurations and optical injection. This latter configuration provides a tractable, non-linear system with effects including multistability, chaos and excitability. For the case of optical injection of a Fabry-Perot device, various dynamical regimes are observed including excitability and bistability and these dynamics always appear near the locking boundary on the side of negative detuning. Such an asymmetry is well understood for multimode devices. This paper considers the optical injection of a InAs single-mode quantum dot distributed feedback laser (QD DFB). In this device various non-linear dynamical features, including excitable phase-slips, were found for both positive and negative detuning for the first time. A novel interferometric technique is proposed to directly measure the phase and amplitude of the injected slave laser in various dynamical regimes including the aforementioned excitable phase-slipping, bistability between phase-locked and limit cycle operation and chaos. This technique has allowed the first complete experimental reconstruction of the phase and gain dynamics of a semiconductor laser under optical injection.