Abstract
The nonlinear dynamics of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) subject to a repetitive optical pulse injection are studied numerically using the SFM model. By varying the strength and the repetition frequency of the injection pulses, different dynamical states are found. Instead of having only one polarization mode at the slave laser output, both the y- and x-polarized modes are observed for the pulsation and oscillation states. While the pulsation states with the y-polarization follow a period-doubling route to chaotic pulsations, the oscillation states with the x-polarization undergo a quasi- periodic route to chaotic oscillations. With certain strength of injection, the x-polarized mode will be suppressed (i.e. polarization switching). Furthermore, the switching points and the regions of the chaotic states are found to be strongly influenced by the repetition frequency of the injection pulses and the detuning frequency between the master and slave lasers. All-optical signal regeneration by using the flip-flop operation VCSEL is demonstrated and investigated numerically. By using orthogonally polarized mode injection pulses, the lasing VCSEL can be operated in the flip-flop mode. The different dynamical states in this system are studied. The threshold intensity of the injection pulse for the injected VCSEL to achieve the flip-flop operation is also reported.