Dynamics of coupled semiconductor lasers: equivalence with Bose-Einstein condensates

Summary form only given. We experimentally study the dynamical behavior of longitudinally coupled semiconductor lasers. The experimental set-up consists in two single longitudinal mode vertical cavity surface emitter lasers (VCSELs) operating nearly at the same optical frequency. A 50% beam splitter separates the output intensity of each laser while an acousto-optic modulator inserted between the two lasers allows changing the amount of coupling by reducing the transmitted field. The detected outputs are digitized by a fast oscilloscope and sent to a computer for further analysis.