Abstract

We present a numerical method for solution of the cavity modes of a multichannel array of laser diodes. Whereas other numerical studies have concentrated on the calculation of profiles transverse to the cavity axis, the emphasis in this work is on the effects on the axial profiles of saturable gain and the reflected (left-going) wave. Our analysis is based on coupled-mode theory¹ in which wave overlap between channels is expressed in terms of a coupling coefficient. This calculational method allows the investigation of cavity modes for a given device length and facet reflectivities. These modes are in general different from those obtained by solving linear waveguide equations.

© 1985 Optical Society of America