Dynamic Switching Response of Semiconductor Ring Lasers to NRZ and RZ Injection Signals

Abstract

Dynamic response of semiconductor ring lasers (SRLs) to external optical injection with nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ) and return-to-zero (RZ) waveforms is investigated using a model including linear and nonlinear mode coupling. The switching characteristics are simulated under various device sizes, injection power levels, and frequency detuning. For NRZ, the switching time reduces with decreasing SRL radius, which has a reasonable agreement with the current experimental results. It is also demonstrated that RZ pulse with duration of several picoseconds can reliably switch 6-mum radius SRL over a detuning range of more than 100 GHz, with the end state self-sustained after switching.