Dynamic Effects and Instabilities in Semiconductor Lasers in External Cavities

Abstract

We have observed self-sustained relaxation oscillations of GaAlAs lasers in external cavities for DC drive currents greater than 20% above threshold. The frequency of relaxation oscillations depends on drive current as shown in Figure 1. Using standard rate equations and including a current-dependent cavity decay time give good agreement with theory. Without this current dependence, we obtain the linear curve shown in Figure 1, which does not agree with the experiment.