Optical bistability in diode-laser amplifiers and injection-locked laser diodes

Abstract
Static and dynamic properties of dispersive optical bistability (OB) in semiconductor lasers biased from below to above threshold have been investigated theoretically. The OB result is found to be varied continuously from below to above threshold with its maximum value located just above threshold; this result has been verified experimentally. A much faster switch-off of OB can be expected when the laser operates in the injection-locked condition.