Dynamics of a broad-band Quantum Cascade Laser. From chaos to coherent dynamics and mode-locking

Abstract

The dynamics of a multimode Quantum Cascade Laser, is studied in a model based on effective semiconductor Maxwell-Bloch equations, encompassing key features for the radiationmedium interaction such as an asymmetric, frequency dependent, gain and refractive index as well as the phase-amplitude coupling provided by the Henry factor. By considering the role of the free spectral range and Henry factor, we develop criteria suitable to identify the conditions which allow to destabilize, close to threshold, the traveling wave emitted by the laser and lead to chaotic or regular multimode dynamics. In the latter case our simulations show that the field oscillations are associated to self-confined structures which travel along the laser cavity, bridging mode-locking and solitary wave propagation. In addition, we show how a RF modulation of the bias current leads to active mode-locking yielding high-contrast, picosecond pulses. Our results compare well with recent experiments on broad-band THz-QCLs and may help understanding the conditions for the generation of ultrashort pulses and comb operation in Mid-IR and THz spectral regions

References in corpus (8)

• Octave-spanning semiconductor laser
• Stable mode-locked pulses from mid-infrared semiconductor lasers
• Coherent Frequency Combs produced by Self Frequency Modulation in Quantum Cascade Lasers
• Short pulse generation and mode control of broadband terahertz quantum cascade lasers
• Active mode locking of quantum cascade lasers operating in external ring cavity
• Dissipative phase solitons in semiconductor lasers
• Analytical expression for Risken-Nummedal-Graham-Haken instability threshold in quantum cascade lasers
• Phase Instability as a Source of Modal Dynamics in Semiconductor Lasers

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Semiconductor ring laser frequency combs induced by phase turbulence
• Dissipative Kerr solitons in semiconductor ring lasers
• Unifying frequency combs in active and passive cavities: Temporal solitons in externally-driven ring lasers
• Optoelectronic device simulations based on macroscopic Maxwell-Bloch equations
• Coherent multi-mode dynamics in a Quantum Cascade Laser: Amplitude and Frequency-modulated Optical Frequency Combs
• Mbsolve: An open-source solver tool for the Maxwell-Bloch equations
• Multi-mode Dynamics of Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers: spontaneous and actively induced generation of dense and harmonic coherent regimes
• Real-time multimode dynamics of terahertz quantum cascade lasers via intracavity self-detection: observation of self mode-locked population pulsations