Injection locking of a passively mode-locked laser

Abstract

We present and analyze a model of a passively mode-locked laser, which is subjected to injection of a coherent pulse train. The model, based on soliton perturbation theory, predicts the possibility of coherent injection locking, and gives analytical estimates for the locking ranges. The ability to simultaneously lock the timing and the phase of the output pulses of a mode-locked laser to an injected, coherent pulse train is shown. The interesting limiting case of phase locking the mode-locked laser to a constant amplitude external injection, is addressed with implications for future coherent soliton communication systems.