Nonlinear Dynamics in Semiconductor Lasers - Abstract
Birkholz, Martin
Passively mode-locked semiconductor lasers are compact photonic sources delivering picosecond short optical pulses at multi-GHz pulse repetition rates. An excellent pulse train timing stability and repetition rate agility is crucially important towards their application in optical sampling, in optical time division multiplexing or as photonic clocks. Here, we study self-colliding pulse mode-locking in monolithic multi-section semiconductor lasers with multiple interdigitated absorbers by FreeTWM, a simulation tool based on the traveling wave approach of Maxwell Bloch equations. Using numerical continuation, transitions from fundamental to higher harmonic mode-locking and improvements in timing stability are identified in dependence on the laser biasing conditions. Experimental results on the timing stability and repetition rate transitions confirm the simulated results.