Multimode optical feedback dynamics of InAs/GaAs quantum-dot lasers emitting on different lasing states

Quantum dot lasers are envisioned to be the next generation of optical transmitters used for short-reach communication links, owing to their low threshold current and high temperature operation. However, in a context of steady increase in both speed and reach, quantum dot lasers emitting on their upper energy levels have been recently of greater interest as they are touted for their faster modulation dynamics. This work aims at further evaluating the potential impact of such lasers in communication links by characterizing their long-delay optical feedback responses as well as the role of the lasing states on the multimode dynamics of InAs/GaAs quantum-dot Fabry-Perot devices sharing the same design. Results unveil that the excited-state laser shows a much larger sensitivity to optical feedback, with a more complex route to chaos, and a first destabilization point occurring at lower feedback strengths than for a comparable ground-state laser, which remains almost unaffected.