Your source of photonics CAD tools

PICWave

A photonic IC, laser diode and SOA simulator

Mode hopping in a Fabry-Perot laser diode

Simulation with PICWave software

This example shows how PICWave can be used for the simulation of mode hopping in a Fabry-Perot laser diode.

Mode hopping in a Fabry-Perot laser simulated in CLADISS-2D 

Current is increased steadily from 0mA to 100mA in 20ns. Top plot is the optical output power. The middle plot is the mode gain giving an indication of the carrier density. The lower plot shows the time-evolving spectrum. The shifting mode frequencies below threshold can be seen until lasing locks the carrier density. Mode hops are accompanied by a temporary chaotic phase. Because of spatial hole burning the gain (middle plot) decreases gradually with increasing optical power.