Suppression of semiconductor laser pulsations using optical feedback from a fiber

A novel optical feedback method is described for suppressing self-sustained pulsations in semiconductor lasers. Using an external cavity formed from a single segment of optical fiber about 1 cm long, a few percent of the light is coupled back into the laser cavity. All pulsations are suppressed, independently of the pulsation frequency. This behavior is predicted by a model which incorporates saturable absorption centers in the laser cavity.