SPONTANEOUS SPATIOTEMPORAL INSTABILITIES IN CURRENT MODULATED MASTER OSCILLATOR POWER-AMPLIFIER LASERS

We provide the first comprehensive theoretical evidence for nonlinear space-time dynamical behavior which seriously degrades the performance of a monolithically integrated master oscillator power amplifier lase r under direct current modulation of the master oscillator, A host of instabilities, reflecting dynamical behavior of different sections of the device, are possible. These instabilities are due to the combinati on of weak feedback from the power amplifier section of the device cau sing leakage into the master oscillator section, from the buildup of u nsaturated carriers along the narrow edges of the expanding pare and d ifferential saturation of the passive regions under the distributed Br agg reflector grating sections.