Paper 14090-36
Paper 14090-36
Polarization and transverse mode dynamics in a broad-area VCSEL
14 April 2026 • 12:00 - 12:20 CEST | Leicester/Salon 12 (Niveau/Level 1)
Abstract
We theoretically investigate the nonlinear dynamics of a free-running multimode broad- area vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (BA-VCSEL). The inclusion of higher-order transverse modes leads to additional bifurcations at elevated injection currents that are absent in single-mode VCSELs (SM-VCSELs). We also observe a new chaos-induced mode hopping called transverse mode hopping (TMH) that accompanies the polarization mode hopping (PMH). Ee analyze the impact of the spin-flip rate and spatial hole burning (SHB) on the emergence of chaotic dynamics and modal competition. The resulting behavior involves complex interactions between modes with different transverse profiles and polarizations, promoting hopping between polarization states and transverse modes. Our results show good qualitative agreement with recent experiments and provide insight into the physical mechanisms governing chaos and mode competition in BA-VCSELs.
Presenter
Yohann Sanvert
Université de Lorraine, CentraleSupélec, LMOPS (France), Chaire Photonique, CentraleSupélec, LMOPS (France)
Yohann G. Sanvert graduated with a master’s degree in electrical engineering from CentraleSupélec, Université Paris-Saclay. During his final year, his master’s thesis focused on the simulation of polarization and transverse mode dynamics in multimode broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (BA-VCSELs). He is now pursuing a Ph.D. continuing this research, aiming to deepen the understanding of BA-VCSEL dynamics through both experimental investigations and numerical simulations. His doctoral work seeks to enhance temporal and spatial random number generation and to achieve synchronization between two BA-VCSELs, with potential applications in chaos-based cryptography.