Switchable lasing in coupled multimode microcavities

Abstract

We propose the new concept of a switchable multimode microlaser. As a generic, realistic model of a multimode microresonator a system of two coupled defects in a two-dimensional photonic crystal is considered. We demonstrate theoretically that lasing of the cavity into one selected resonator mode can be caused by injecting an appropriate optical pulse at the onset of laser action (injection seeding). Temporal mode-to-mode switching by re-seeding the cavity after a short cool-down period is demonstrated by direct numerical solution. A qualitative analytical explanation of the mode switching in terms of the laser bistability is presented.

Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters. Published, somewhat shortened version

References in corpus (2)

• Time Dependent Theory for Random Lasers
• Selective lasing in multimode periodic and non-periodic nanopillar waveguides

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