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Polarization correlations in pulsed, vertical-cavity, surface-emitting lasers

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Abstract

We have examined noise behavior and polarization correlations in the output of a pulsed, multitransverse-mode, vertical-cavity, surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). We have measured the output of the laser simultaneously in two orthogonal, linear polarizations as a function of drive current for pulse widths of 3 ns, 10 ns, and 30 ns. We present joint probability distributions for the number of detected photoelectrons in each of the two polarization-resolved outputs. The joint distributions indicate that the correlations can be quite complicated, and are not completely described by a single number (i.e., the correlation coefficient). Furthermore, we find that the number of lasing modes appears to be the most important parameter in determining the degree of polarization correlation.

©2000 Optical Society of America

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Supplementary Material (4)

Media 1: MOV (1376 KB)     
Media 2: MOV (595 KB)     
Media 3: MOV (979 KB)     
Media 4: MOV (847 KB)     

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Figures (8)

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1. The experimental apparatus.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2. Plot of the mean (a) and variance (b) of the number of photoelectrons as a function of drive current for 10 ns pulses. Data is shown for the individual polarizations and the total output. Arrows indicate current values where new modes turn on, and are labeled by the polarization of the new mode.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3. Distributions at a drive current of 3.3 mA (one mode lasing) for 10 ns pulses: a) joint distribution p(n 0, n 90), b) distribution for the 90° output, c) distribution for the 0° output, d) distribution for the total output.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4. [a) 1.4 MB, b) 600 KB] Animation of P(n 0, n 90) as a function of drive current for 10 ns pulses: a) closeup of the shape of the distributions, b) all distributions shown on the same scale.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5. The correlation coefficient and polarization splitting ratio are plotted as a function of laser drive current for 10 ns pulses. Arrows indicate current values where new modes turn on, and are labeled by the polarization of the new mode.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 6. [a) 980 KB, b) 850 KB] Animation of P(n 0, n 90) as a function of drive current: a) 3 ns duration pulses, b) 30 ns duration pulses.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 7. The correlation coefficient (a) and the polarization splitting ratio (b) are plotted as a function of normalized drive current for three different pulse durations.
Fig. 8.
Fig. 8. The relative noise is plotted as a function of normalized drive current for three different pulse durations.

Equations (5)

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n 0 n 90 P ( n 0 , n 90 ) δ n 0 δ n 90 = 1 ,
P ( n 90 ) = n 0 P ( n 0 , n 90 ) δ n 0 .
C 0,90 = ( n 0 n 0 ) ( n 90 n 90 ) σ 0 σ 90 = n 0 n 90 n 0 n 90 σ 0 σ 90 ,
M = n 90 n 0 .
RN = ( Δ n t ) 2 n t 2 .
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