A new journal article has been published in Laser and Photonics Reviews.
Title: Coherent Multi-Pulsing Induced by Engineered Heterogeneity in Diode Laser Arrays
Authors: O.Spitz, G.Scranton, K.Golden, A.Mishra, I.Belykh, and Y.Braiman
Abstract: The generation of high-power controlled pulse trains in semiconductor lasers is of significant theoretical and practical interest, with broad applications across many fields. Previous work on diode lasers has primarily focused on single-pulse emission from individual diodes, inherently limiting output power. Here, we demonstrate that large direct-current-driven external-cavity laser arrays, subject only to optical feedback and engineered frequency heterogeneity, can exhibit robust, coherent multi-pulsing dynamics. We uncover a multi-pulse generation mechanism driven by two-cluster formation and heterogeneity-induced interburst oscillations, resulting in desirable features such as multi-GHz operation, high peak power, and nearly perfect phase synchronization. Our results pave the way for designing and manufacturing miniature photonic chip arrays capable of scalable multi-pulse generation. Beyond photonics, the underlying multi-pulse mechanism may be broadly relevant to physical and biological networks, where oscillator heterogeneity can give rise to coherent spiking and bursting dynamics.