Experimental Study of Multistability in a Multimode Vertical-Cavity Laser

摘要： The coexistence of various spatial distributions of laser intensity in a multimode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) at ? xed DC values was experimentally demonstrated. Their structures were characterized by different integrated intensities, polarization states, and sets of wavelengths. Spatial multistability was shown to lead to the appearance of multistability in the laser intensity and polarization multistability and was characterized by a strong local dependence of the laser intensity hysteresis behavior on the pump current. The effect of the diode-laser temperature on the manifestation of multistability was also investigated.