Exploring multi-stability in semiconductor ring lasers: theory and experiment

Abstract

We report the first experimental observation of multi-stable states in a single-longitudinal mode semiconductor ring laser. We show how the operation of the device can be steered to either monostable, bistable or multi-stable dynamical regimes in a controlled way. We observe that the dynamical regimes are organized in well reproducible sequences that match the bifurcation diagrams of a two-dimensional model. By analyzing the phase space in this model, we predict how the stochastic transitions between multi-stable states take place and confirm it experimentally.

4 pages, 5 figures

References in corpus (2)

• Topological insight into the non-Arrhenius mode hopping of semiconductor ring lasers
• A phase-space approach to directional switching in semiconductor ring lasers

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• Excitability in semiconductor microring lasers: Experimental and theoretical pulse characterization
• Excitability in optical systems close to Z2-symmetry
• Optical injection in semiconductor ring lasers
• Semiconductor Ring Lasers Coupled by a Single Waveguide