Sensitivity to external optical feedback of circular-side hexagonal resonator microcavity laser*

Abstract

The sensitivity to fault reflection is very important for larger dynamic range in fiber fault detection technique. Using time delay signature (TDS) of chaotic laser formed by optical feedback can solve the sensitivity limitation of photodetector in fiber fault detection. The TDS corresponds to the feedback position and the fault reflection can be detected by the laser diode. The sensitivity to feedback level of circular-side hexagonal resonator (CSHR) microcavity laser is numerically simulated and the feedback level boundaries of each output dynamic state are demonstrated. The peak level of TDS is utilized to analyze the sensitivity. The demonstration is presented in two aspects: the minimum feedback level when the TDS emerges and the variation degree of TDS level on feedback level changing. The results show that the CSHR microcavity laser can respond to the feedback level of 0.07%, corresponding to -63-dB feedback strength. Compared to conventional distributed feedback laser, the sensitivity improves almost 20 dB due to the shorter internal cavity length of CSHR microcavity laser. Moreover, 1% feedback level changing will induce 1.001 variation on TDS level, and this variation degree can be influenced by other critical internal parameters (active region side length, damping rate, and linewidth enhancement factor).