Dynamic instabilities in master oscillator power amplifier semiconductor lasers

Abstract

We investigate theoretically the master oscillator power amplifier using a semiconductor laser model that is fully time and space (laterally and longitudinally) resolved. We numerically examine the stability of the device and identify the nature of the different instabilities. These can arise from undamped relaxation oscillations, beating between the longitudinal modes of any of the cavities that comprise the device, or lateral filamentation.