Longitudinal mode self-stabilization in semiconductor lasers

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.331290· OSTI ID:5339959

Kazarinov, R F; Henry, C H; Logan, R A

A general mechanism of self-stabilization of longitudinal modes in semiconductor lasers is presented. The stabilization is due to the modulation of the inverted population by the beating of the fields of lasing and nonlasing modes, thereby modulating the rate of stimulated emission. This leads to two optical nonlinearities: one causing gain suppression of nonlasing modes and the other causing coupling of pairs of nonlasing modes that are equally separated from the laser line. The two nonlinearities nearly cancel, but their net effect is a weak suppression of the nonlasing modes and stabilization of the lasing mode. Buried optical guide lasers were stabilized in a single longitudinal mode for currents greater than 6mA above threshold. The mode intensity spectra of the lasers were measured over 5 decades and converted to gain spectra, which could be compared with the theory. The gain spectrum is parabolic at threshold. At 20 mA above threshold it remains continuous at the laser line but narrows and becomes structured. The structure is characterized by a dip in the gain and in the mode intensities occurring about 3 modes from the laser line. The laser line also causes a pronounced dip in the gain spectra of the nonlasing first order transverse modes. All of these features can be approximately accounted for by the theory.

• Research Organization: Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974
• OSTI ID: 5339959
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 53:7; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
AMPLIFICATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COUPLING
DATA
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
EMISSION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GAIN
INFORMATION
LASERS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
NUMERICAL DATA
OSCILLATION MODES
POPULATION INVERSION
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
SPECTRA
STABILIZATION
STIMULATED EMISSION
WAVEGUIDES