Eur. Phys. J. D (2015) 69: 222
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2015-60261-x

Regular Article

Twin laser cavity solitons in a VCSEL with saturable absorber

¹ Photonics Excellence, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
² Photonics Group, Research Institute for Applied Physics and Astronomy, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

^a e-mail: m.eslami@tabrizu.ac.ir

Received: 29 April 2015
Received in final form: 5 July 2015
Published online: 24 September 2015

Abstract

We show numerically the existence and stability of double-peak (twin) laser cavity solitons in a model of a semiconductor laser containing a saturable absorber. The onset of twin laser cavity solitons is observed in a narrow range of switching pulse energies above the maximum energy required to switch a normal single laser cavity soliton. Also, the FWHM value of the population dip at the end of injection is found to be wider which later breaks into two closely spaced dips. Three regimes of oscillating, oscillating-rotating and oscillating-rotating-travelling twin laser cavity solitons are reported depending on the value of a bifurcation parameter given by the ratio of the lifetimes of carriers in amplifier and absorber materials. The associated dynamical behaviors in these three regimes are also discussed.