Stability and bifurcations of periodically modulated, optically injected laser diodes - art. no. 026212

Recent experiments using lasers subject to external injection [T. B. Simpso n, Opt. Commun., 170, 93 (1999)] have shown remarkable locking performances when a small reference current modulation is added to the de-bias current. The locking problem is studied analytically by using a multiple scale pert urbation method. We derive a slow time amplitude equation for the laser rap id limit-cycle oscillations. The solution of this equation is then investig ated both analytically and numerically using a continuation method. We find that the intensity of the laser field can be time periodic (locking) or qu asiperiodic (unlocking) and that there exist two distinct bifurcation mecha nisms leading to locking. Finally, we compare bifurcation diagrams based on our amplitude equation with diagrams obtained from the laser original equa tions and find a good quantitative agreement.