Abstract
Nonlinear dynamical characteristics of an optically injected semiconductor laser subject to optoelectronic feedback is studied numerically. The dynamic states including stable locking, periodic oscillation, chaotic oscillation, regular pulsing, quasiperiodic pulsing, and chaotic pulsing seen in a semiconductor laser subject to either optical injection or delayed optoelectronic feedback alone, can all be found in this hybrid system where the laser is subject to both optical injection and optoelectronic feedback. While this system can follow either the period-doubling or the quasiperiodic route to chaos, transition states bridging chaotic oscillation states and chaotic pulsing states are identified and shown. Mappings of dynamic states in the parameter space are plotted, where a large expansion and shifting of the chaos region is observed and is compared with an optically injected laser without optoelectronic feedback. As the injection strength increases, the bandwidths of the chaotic states in the broadened area of this hybrid system are significantly enhanced. The advantages and potential applications of this hybrid system are discussed. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.