Nonlinear dynamical effects of a multi-section DFB semiconductor laser such as self-pulsations or hysteresis can be described by the traveling wave model. The present paper demonstrates that such a model can be effectively approximated by a low dimensional system of ordinary differential equations where only few dynamically varying longitudinal modes of optical field are taken into account. A bifurcation analysis of the reduced models allow us to identify the mechanisms of switching on and switching off of the self-pulsations by tuning model parameters. An explanation of hysteresis is given as well.

Date Published: 12 June 2002
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 4646, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices X, (12 June 2002); doi: 10.1117/12.470531

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4646:
Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices X
Peter Blood; Marek Osinski; Yasuhiko Arakawa, Editor(s)