Abstract
One of the most promising applications of transverse nonlinear optics is the possibility of controlling the spatial profile of the beam emitted by a laser. The phenomenon of spatial multistability has already been exploited to suggest the realization of an optical associative memory with a laser operating as a decision element.1 Another application is the low-energy switching in a bistable laser operating with two doughnut modes, as reported in ref. 3.3 However in that work, the bistable laser was a He-Ne laser, which is not suitable for practical purposes. Here we investigate the possibility of transverse mode switching in vertical cavity surface emitting lasers,2 which are convenient because of their small dimensions, fast response, and low lasing thresholds.
© 1994 IEEE
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