Abstract

Semiconductor Ring Lasers (SRLs) [1] attract interest as integrated optic devices, gyroscopes, active filters and modelocking sources capable of sub–millimeter wave generation. This work reports on the fabrication and experimental characterization of index–guided SRLs designed to operate on single transversal and longitudinal mode. Contrary to expectation, SRLs do not exhibit plain bidirectional CW operation for the two counterpropagating modes. Rather, they show an intricate and interesting regimes sequence, including, bidirectional operation with alternate harmonic oscillations, unidirectional CW operation, unidirectional operation with switchings between the modes.

© 2003 Optical Society of America