Experimental study of the coherence of the light emitted by a semiconductor laser with optical feedback

Author: María Duque Gijón

Title: Experimental study of the coherence of the light emitted by a semiconductor laser with optical feedback

Supervisors:  Cristina Masoller (director) and  Jordi Tiana (codirector).

Presentation date: December 05, 2024

Link to text: https://www.tesisenred.net/handle/10803/693318#page=1

Abstract: Semiconductor lasers are part of our daily lives, finding applications in telecommunications, sensing, metrology, and biomedicine due to their compact size, efficiency, and versatility. This thesis explores how optical feedback influences the temporal and spatial coherence of semiconductor lasers through a technique based on random intensity patterns, i.e., speckle. Optical feedback involves reinjecting part of the emitted laser light through an external reflector, inducing various nonlinear dynamics operating regimes. While much research has focused on optical feedback's effects on temporal coherence, its impact on spatial coherence is less studied. This thesis proposes the speckle contrast analysis to study the coherence of semiconductor laser light under optical feedback. Speckle patterns arise from the interference of coherent light when it propagates through a diffusive medium. This technique enables the quantification of the coherence of the light providing, valuable insights into the spatial coherence of laser light. High speckle contrast patterns reveal valuable information about both the laser light and the diffusive medium. However, speckle can degrade image quality in imaging applications, requiring speckle mitigation. The thesis aims to study how optical feedback affects the coherence of the light emitted by a semiconductor laser, with the particular goal of identifying conditions where feedback reduces the light coherence and, consequently, the speckle contrast. The first part of this thesis investigates the emergence and evolution of coherence during the laser turn-on transition under different optical feedback scenarios with respect to the non feedback scenario, using a mirror and a diffractive grating as reflectors, and using a multimode fiber as a diffusive medium. The second part proposes a procedure to differentiate between temporal and spatial coherence using speckle pattern analysis with three different diffusive mediums: multimode fiber, multimode fiber and a diffuser, and single-mode fiber and a diffuser. By analyzing speckle contrast and relating it with optical spectrum measurements, we reveal the evolution of the coherence in a solitary and optically fed back semiconductor laser across a huge range of pump currents, highlighting the difference between temporal and spatial coherence. Complementary to speckle contrast technique we have made use of the spatial entropy measure to unveil nonlinear spatial correlations between pixel values of speckle images. This thesis also investigates the impact of sinusoidal modulation in the pump current on the coherence of semiconductor lasers with optical feedback. The modulation amplitude and frequency play a crucial role in influencing coherence. The goal is to identify the optimal modulation conditions under which a fed back semiconductor laser emits light with lower spatial and temporal coherence compared to scenarios without modulation. Finally, this thesis includes a chapter on the impact of optical injection on the timing jitter of a semiconductor laser. Timing jitter refers to the variability in the timing of emitted light pulses from the semiconductor laser, which can significantly impact the precision of optical systems, as the optical analog-to-digital converters. This study was carried out at the Photonics Laboratory at IFCA under the supervision of Dr. Ana Quirce, as a secondment. This thesis is devoted to an experimental study of the effects of Optical feedback or optical injection on the temporal and spatial characteristics of the output emission of semiconductor lasers.