Tailoring the mode-switching dynamics in quantum-dot micropillar lasers via time-delayed optical feedback

Funding: European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program (ERC Grant Agreement No. 615613); German Research Foundation (CRC 787, GRK1558); project EMPIR 14IND05 MIQC2 co-financed by the Participating States and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.Microlasers are ideal candidates to bring the fascinating variety of nonlinear complex dynamics found in delay-coupled systems to the realm of quantum optics. Particularly attractive is the possibility of tailoring the devices’ emission properties via non-invasive delayed optical coupling. However, until now scarce research has been done in this direction. Here, we experimentally and theoretically investigate the effects of delayed optical feedback on the mode-switching dynamics of an electrically driven bimodal quantum-dot micropillar laser, characterizing its impact on the micropillar’s output power, optical spectrum and photon statistics. Feedback is found to influence the switching dynamics and its characteristics time scales. In addition, stochastic switching is reduced with the subsequent impact on the microlaser photon statistics. Our results contribute to the comprehension of feedback-induced phenomena in micropillar lasers and pave the way towards the external control and tailoring of the properties of these key systems for the nanophotonics community.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe