Abstract

The influence of extra carrier noise on the fundamental properties of semiconductor lasers has been neglected for a long time. Recently we have shown how a large amount of current noise modifies the basic dynamical properties of semiconductor lasers [1], We have demonstrated that when adding low frequency noise to the injection current of a semiconductor laser, the damping rate of the relaxation oscillation (RO) increases with increasing current noise. Simultaneously, the RO frequency decreases. We interpret this to be due to an increase in the strength of the nonlinear gain saturation. The nonlinear gain saturation also plays a role in dynamical instabilities. In this contribution we study in how far extra current-noise can suppress or dampen the instabilities induced by delayed feedback and in how far noise and feedback effects interact. Thus, the key problem we address is the interplay of two external influences - optical feedback and noise - on the dynamics of semiconductor lasers.

© 2007 IEEE