Intensity fluctuation in semiconductor lasers coupled to external cavity

Abstract

Broad peaks are observed in the intensity noise spectrum for external cavity AlGaAs lasers. Oscillating longitudinal mode spectrum measured with a high resolution Fabry-Perot interferometer indicates that the intensity noise peaks result from the lasing of several closely spaced external cavity modes. A new mechanism is proposed to explain the observed noise spectrum; the intensity fluctuation is induced by modulation of the dielectric constant in the semiconductor cavity due to the beating of the electric fields for lasing modes. Qualitative agreements between the theory and experiments are obtained.