Semiconductor Laser Dynamics

This revised and updated edition of a highly relevant monograph describes fascinating recent progress in the field of chaos, stability, and instability of semiconductor lasers. Applications and future prospects are discussed in detail. The book emphasizes the various dynamics induced in semiconductor lasers by optical and electronic feedback, optical injection, and injection current modulation. Recent results of both theoretical and experimental investigations are presented.

This is a collection of 18 papers, two of which are reviews and seven are invited feature papers, that together form the Photonics Special Issue "Semiconductor Laser Dynamics: Fundamentals and Applications", published in 2020. This collection is edited by Daan Lenstra, an internationally recognized specialist in the field for 40 years.

This book covers the device physics of semiconductor lasers in five chapters written by recognized experts in this field. The volume begins by introducing the basic mechanisms of optical gain in semiconductors and the role of quantum confinement in modern quantum well diode lasers. Subsequent chapters treat the effects of built-in strain, one of the important recent advances in the technology of these lasers, and the physical mechanisms underlying the dynamics and high speed modulation of these devices. The book concludes with chapters addressing the control of photon states in squeezed-light and microcavity structures, and electron states in low dimensional quantum wire and quantum dot lasers. The book offers useful information for both readers unfamiliar with semiconductor lasers, through the introductory parts of each chapter, as well as a state-of-the-art discussion of some of the most advanced semiconductor laser structures, intended for readers engaged in research in this field. This book may also serve as an introduction for the companion volume, Semiconductor Lasers II: Materials and Structures, which presents further details on the different material systems and laser structures used for achieving specific diode laser performance features. Introduces the reader to the basics of semiconductor lasers Covers the fundamentals of lasing in semiconductors, including quantum confined and microcavity structures Beneficial to readers interested in the more general aspects of semiconductor physics and optoelectronic devices, such as quantum confined heterostructures and integrated optics Each chapter contains a thorough introduction to the topic geared toward the non-expert, followed by an in-depth discussion of current technology and future trends Useful for professionals engaged in research and development Contains numerous schematic and data-containing illustrations

Written for readers who have some background in solid state physics but do not necessarily possess any knowledge of semiconductor lasers, this book provides a comprehensive and concise account of fundamental semiconductor laser physics, technology and properties. The principles of operation of these lasers are therefore discussed in detail with the interrelations between their design and optical, electrical and thermal properties. The relative merits of a large number of laser structures and their parameters are described to acquaint the reader with the various aspects of the semiconductor lasers and the trends in their development.

This in-depth title discusses the underlying physics and operational principles of semiconductor lasers. It analyzes the optical and electronic properties of the semiconductor medium in detail, including quantum confinement and gain-engineering effects. The text also includes recent developments in blue-emitting semiconductor lasers.

This monograph summarizes major achievements in laser dynamics over the past three decades. The book begins with two introductory Chapters. Chapter 1 offers general considerations on quantum oscillators, formulates the requirements for the laser key elements and shows how these requirements are met in different laser systems. The second Chapter proposes the mathematical models used in semiclassical laser theory, discusses the approximations and simplifications in particular cases, and specifies the range of applicability of these models. In Chapters 3-5 attention is given primarily to the steady states and their stability, the laser behavior in the instability domain, the characteristics of regular and chaotic pulsations and the nature of their mechanisms. Chapter 6 deals with the processes in a laser, accompanying the time variance of laser parameters. Considerable attention is given to a laser response to weak, low-frequency modulation of the parameters. The problems addressed therein are resonant modulation enhancement, transition to the nonlinear regime, chaotic response to periodic impact, spike-like generation due to variation of the cavity geometry and a laser rod temperature drift. Laser behavior is subject to qualitative changes if its optical elements exhibit nonlinear properties. The action of a saturable absorber, which leads to a loss of laser stability and provides passive Q-modulation, is investigated. To a much lesser degree the researchers' attention has been attracted by other nonlinear effects such as self-focusing, e.g., which may have a strong influence on laser dynamics. All of these issues are covered in Chapter 7. The book is intended for researchers, engineers, graduate and post-graduate students majoring in quantum electronics.

Presents fundamental theories and simulations of the spatio-temporal dynamics and quantum fluctuations in semiconductor lasers. The dynamic interplay of light and matter is theoretically described by taking into account microscopic carrier dynamics, spatially dependent light-field propagation and the influence of spontaneous emission and noise.