Analysis of Mode Switching Operation of Laser Diode by Phase Conjugate Light Injection

Abstract

Injection locking of lasers with mutually pumped phase conjugate mirror has various advantages compared with that using conventional optics such as mirrors and lenses.¹ In this configuration, we need no alignment to inject the light into the cavity of the slave laser, and high coupling efficiency is easily achieved. We have demonstrated injection locking and mode switching operation of 780 nm diode lasers with double phase conjugate mirror². When we tuned the frequency of the injected light and it is close enough to one of the cavity modes of the slave laser, the injected mode started oscillating and the free running mode was suppressed. Under some condition, the free running mode was completely disappeared and only the injected mode was oscillating. In this paper we analyze the mode switching characteristics of this system with the van der Pol equations.