Title

Robustness and mode selectivity in parity-time (PT) symmetric lasers

Authors

M. H. Teimourpour, Michigan Technological University
M. Khajavikhan, University of Central Florida
Demetrios N. Christodoulides, University of Central Florida
Ramy El-Ganainy, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-7-2017

Abstract

We investigate two important aspects of PT symmetric photonic molecule lasers, namely the robustness of their single longitudinal mode operation against instabilities triggered by spectral hole burning effects, and the possibility of more versatile mode selectivity. Our results, supported by numerically integrating the nonlinear rate equations and performing linear stability analysis, reveals the following: (1) In principle a second threshold exists after which single mode operation becomes unstable, signaling multimode oscillatory dynamics, (2) For a wide range of design parameters, single mode operation of PT lasers having relatively large free spectral range (FSR) can be robust even at higher gain values, (3) PT symmetric photonic molecule lasers are more robust than their counterpart structures made of single microresonators; and (4) Extending the concept of single longitudinal mode operation based on PT symmetry in millimeter long edge emitting lasers having smaller FSR can be challenging due to instabilities induced by nonlinear modal interactions. Finally we also present a possible strategy based on loss engineering to achieve more control over the mode selectivity by suppressing the mode that has the highest gain (i.e. lies under the peak of the gain spectrum curve) and switch the lasing action to another mode.

Publisher's Statement

© The Author(s) 2017. Article deposited here in compliance with publisher policies. Publisher's version of record: https:dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-10216-1

Publication Title

Scientific Reports

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Teimourpour, M. H., Khajavikhan, M., Christodoulides, D. N., & El-Ganainy, R. (2017). Robustness and mode selectivity in parity-time (PT) symmetric lasers. Scientific Reports, 7. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-10216-1
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/physics-fp/100

Version

Publisher's PDF