Polarization switching performance of VCSEL subjected to optical pulse injection

Abstract

Based on the rate equations describing the dynamic characteristics of the master and slave vertical cavity surface emitting laser （M-VCSEL，S-VCSEL）, under the modulation of pulsed bias current，the polarization characteristics of M-VCSEL output and the polarization switching performance of S-VCSEL subjected to optical pulse output from the M-VCSEL have been investigated. The results show that periodical pulses can be obtained by adding a periodical pulsed current on the M-VCSEL. Under injection of the optical pulsed from M-VCSEL, the output power of S-VCSEL will switch periodically between two orthogonal polarizations，and the period is equal to the period of the modulated current in M-VCSEL. Through changing the modulated amplitude of current in M-VCSEL，the orthogonal polarization suppression ratio （OPSR） can be controlled easily.