Correlation between 1/f fluctuations in the two outputbeams of a laser diode

The coherence function of 1/f noise fluctuations in the optical output from the two laser facets is derived from a simple model. At low power, the coherence is shown to be dependent on the optical absorption in thermal equilibrium. The coherence function can be used to determine the absorption coefficient. In the superradiation region, the coherence function increases strongly with power toward its maximum value of one. It remains one above threshold. Experimental findings on a channeled-substrate-planar laser are in good agreement with the author's theory     

Wavelength dependence of 1/f noise in the light output oflaser diodes: an experimental study

The optical power emitted by a monomode GaAlAs laser is filtered with a monochromator. The 1/f noise in the filtered emission is found to be directly dependent on the noncoherent emission, such as S_pαP_nc^m. Here s_p is the spectral density of the 1/f fluctuations, P_nc is the average noncoherent power, m=3/2 under spontaneous emission, and m=4 in the superradiation and laser regions. Study of the 1/f noise in the optical power in a band centered at the laser wavelength and with variable bandwidth shows three operating regions. (1) LED region (at low currents): the fluctuations with a 1/f spectrum are uncorrelated in wavelength. (2) Superradiation region (at currents close to the threshold): the fluctuations are correlated. (3) Laser region: the 1/f noise apparently is dominated by noncoherent emission within a small optical band around the laser wavelength     

Low-frequency intensity noise in semiconductor lasers

The observed 1/f noise in the light-output power S _p of four different types of heterostructure lasers is explained in terms of spatially uncorrelated gain fluctuations and spontaneous emission fluctuations. Two possible noise sources are suggested: fluctuations in the absorption coefficient and fluctuations in the number of free carriers. Both models are in agreement with the experimental results obtained from index-guided and gain-guided diodes at wavelengths of 1.3 and 0.8 μm. The dependence S_p ∝P^m has been observed with P the average light-output power and m=3/2 under spontaneous emission, a small transition region with m=5/2, m=4 in the superradiation region, and 0⩽m⩽1 in the laser region