title: High-order external cavity modes and restabilization of a laser diode subject to a phase-conjugate feedback.
abstract: We experimentally report the sequence of bifurcations destabilizing and restabilizing a laser diode with phase-conjugate feedback when the feedback rate is increased. Specifically, we successively observe the initial steady state, undamped relaxation oscillations, quasi-periodicity, chaos, and oscillating solutions at harmonics up to 13 times the external cavity frequency but also the restabilization to a steady state. The experimental results are qualitatively well reproduced by a model that accounts for the time the light takes to penetrate the phase-conjugate mirror. The theory points out that the system restabilizes through a Hopf bifurcation whose frequency is a harmonic of the external cavity frequency.
authors.forename: Émeric
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Mercier
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weicker
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wolfersberger
authors.forename: Deborah M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sciamanna