Eur. Phys. J. D 58, 191-196 (2010)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2010-00074-y

Frequency dynamics of semiconductor lasers with atomic absorbers: theory and experiments

¹ Departament de Fisica i Enginyeria Nuclear, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Colom 11, Terrassa 08222, Barcelona, Spain
² Laboratório de Física Atômica e Lasers, Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cx. Postal 5086, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil

Corresponding author: oria@otica.ufpb.br

Received: 14 December 2009
Published online: 23 March 2010

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the spectral behavior of monomode semiconductor laser systems whose output amplitude is constant, but whose frequency may be bistable, multistable, locked or present instabilities. The explored configurations are: (i) a laser diode (Fabry-Pérot) under orthogonal filtered optical feedback; and (ii) an extended-cavity diode laser with an intracavity strongly-saturated resonant vapor. Starting from rate equations for the carrier density and for the radiation field oscillating in the cavity of these systems we describe spectral features which are in very good quantitative agreement with experimental observations.