Quantum dot microlasers with external feedback: A chaotic system close to the quantum limit

Ferdinand Albert, Caspar Hopfmann, Christian Schneider, Sven Höfling, Lukas Worschech, Martin Kamp, Wolfgang Kinzel, Alfred Forchel, Stephan Reitzenstein, Ido Kanter

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Studying cavity quantum electrodynamical effects is an emerging and important field of research for the understanding of the many body quantum theory as well as for the generation of a new type of efficient lasers. Here we report a dramatic change in the photon statistics of quantum dot based micropillar lasers where a finite fraction of the emission is reflected back into the microcavity after a roundtrip time τ in an external cavity, where τ greatly exceeds the coherence time. Photon bunching was observed above the threshold current where the second order autocorrelation function g(2)(τ) at zero-lag can reach values up to 3.51±0.06. The change in the photon statistics of the two non-degenerated fundamental modes were found to be correlated, indicating non-trivial interactions between both cavity modes. Furthermore the optical feedback led to revivals of the bunching signal in integer multiples of the round trip time of the external cavity and to a decrease in the coherence time of the laser. These phenomena compare well with milliwatt chaotic lasers induced by an external feedback, indicating that chaos might occur in the nanowatt lasing regime where fluctuations in the photon statistics are in the leading order.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSemiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics V
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
EventSemiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics V - Brussels, Belgium
Duration: 16 Apr 201219 Apr 2012

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume8432
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

ConferenceSemiconductor Lasers and Laser Dynamics V
Country/TerritoryBelgium
CityBrussels
Period16/04/1219/04/12

Keywords

  • chaos
  • feedback
  • lasing
  • microcavity
  • quantum dots (QDs)

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