Experimental observation of localized structures in medium size VCSELs

Abstract

We report experimental evidence of spontaneous formation of localized structures in a 80 μm diameter Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) biased above the lasing threshold and under optical injection. Such localized structures are bistable with the injected beam power and the VCSEL current. We experimentally investigate the formation of localized structures for different detunings between the injected beam and the VCSEL, and different injection beam waists.