Dynamics of a Monolithically Integrated Semiconductor Laser Under Optical Injection

Influences of external optical injection on the nonlinear dynamics of a three-section monolithically integrated semiconductor laser (MISL) are investigated experimentally. The results show that, for the solitary three-section MISL, diversely dynamical states including the stable state as well as the so-called period-one, period-two, multi-period, and chaotic states can be observed through adjusting the currents of the gain section (I-G) and the phase section (I-P). However, the chaotic operation region of the solitary MISL in the parameter space of I-G and I-P is very small and found to exist when 21.28 mA < I-G < 26.40 mA and 31 mA < I-P < 37 mA. After introducing an external optical injection, the MISL originally operating at other dynamical states can always be driven into chaotic state under suitable injection strength and frequency detuning, and a relatively large I-G will be helpful for obtaining broad and continuous chaotic regions in the parameter space of injection strength and frequency detuning.