Emission dynamics of semiconductor lasers subject to delayed optical feedback: An experimentalist’s perspective

Semiconductor lasers subject to delayed optical feedback from a distant reflector are complex systems exhibiting strong dependence on numerous parameters which can be varied in an experiment. These parameters include operational, detection, device structural, and geometrical aspects. In a phenomenological approach, we present a broad overview of the influence of these different parameters on the actually observed dynamical behavior of the system. In particular, we concentrate on the influence of detection bandwidth, device structure, asymmetric coating, mirror tilting, and system parameters including the injection current, the feedback rate, and the nonlinearity parameter α.