We report the observation of bistable polarization switching in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser under optical injection. The wavelength dependence of the switching is measured. It is found that this polarization switching is achieved through injection locking where both the wavelength and the polarization of the vertical-cavity laser are locked to the injected optical signal.

Polarization self-modulation at frequencies up to 6 GHz is observed in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. This self-oscillation is observed when a portion of the laser output power is injected back into the laser after having rotated its polarization by 90° with respect to the initial laser polarization state. Our experiment demonstrates a simple technique for generating an ultrahigh frequency optical clock. New applications in optical storage are also envisioned.

We have recorded the 4sns 'So (n = 14-31), 4snd 1D 2 (n = 12-35), 4snf " 3 F' (n -8 to n = 26), and 4snp 3 Po 1 2 (n = 10 to n = 40) Rydberg series of Zn. We applied various excitation schemes that use two and three laser beams interacting with the Zn vapor in a heat-pipe-like oven with subsequent thermionic detection of the excited states. From the quantum defects of the nonpenetrating 4snf levels we estimated the effective dipole polarizability of the Zn+ core to be a = 2.30 -0.12 x 10-24 cm 3 .

Measurements of the optical power required to switch on-and-off an optical bistable diode laser amplifier as a function of detuning and current from threshold are presented. Good quantitative agreement between the theory for a nonlinear Fabry–Perot and the experimental results are obtained. A linewidth enhancement factor of 3.1 and a value for the change of the refractive index versus carrier density of −1.8×10−20 cm3 are extracted from the measurements.

An external grating cavity semiconductor diode laser is made to operate simultaneously at two separately adjustable wavelengths. Lasing is restricted to the vicinity of the solitary laser 6talon resonances.

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The threshold current and specttal properties of a grating tuned external cavity semiconductor laser are improved by utilizing an intracavity half-wave plate to optimize the grating feedback.

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