Polarisation switching in a vertical cavity surface emitting semiconductor laser by frequency detuning

Abstract

Polarisation switching and polarisation bistability due to frequency-detuned optical injection in vertical cavity surface emitting semiconductor lasers (VCSELs) have been studied experimentally. Polarisation switching is found to occur both when the injected light polarisation is perpendicular and parallel to the free-running polarisation. Switching with perpendicular injection appears to be related to the excitation of an additional transverse mode. Pure frequency-polarisation bistability has also been observed.