ALL-OPTICAL SYNCHRONIZATION OF SELF-PULSATING LASER-DIODES

We examine the behavior of self-pulsating laser diodes when injected w ith periodic optical signals. We experimentally and theoretically inve stigate the phase difference between the injected optical signal and t he synchronized self-pulsating laser diode emission. We explore the ph ase difference dependence on detuning between the laser free-running s elf-pulsation frequency and the applied signal frequency, and on the i njected signal power. The determined sensitive dependence of the phase difference on these factors has important consequences when self-puls ating lasers are used as optical signal processing elements in all-opt ical communication networks, where such sensitivity may lead to timing problems. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.