Doublet structure in the optical spectrum of a semiconductor laser with optoelectronic feedback in a square-wave regime

Abstract

We observe an optical spectrum consisting of a doublet in the output of a semiconductor laser diode with optoelectronic feedback in a dynamical regime in which a self-sustained square-wave modulation is observed, depending on injection current and feedback strength. The doublet frequency splitting is strongly correlated with the duty cycle of the square wave; both parameters as well as the relative magnitude of the peaks are observed to vary with the feedback level. A rate equation model reproduces the spectral doublets. The appearance of the doublet is attributed to active medium gain saturation and refractive index dependence on the carrier density.