Heinz Georg Schuster - Nonlinear Laser Dynamics - From Quantum Dots to Cryptography

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The Editor

Dr. Kathy Ldge

Technische Universitt Berlin

Inst. fr Theoretische Physik

Hardenbergstr. 36

10623 Berlin

Germany

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Preface

Lasers are paradigmatic examples of nonlinear systems and have played a decisive role in the development of nonlinear dynamics into a cross disciplinary subject over the past 40 years. Already a free running laser represents a nontrivial nonlinear system, but even more interesting phenomena arise when lasers are subjected to feedback or coupled to build large networks. Some of these phenomena already found their way to industrial applications, for example, the creation of ultrashort pulses with the mode locking technique by using integrated multisection devices or the stabilization of laser outputs with optical injection. The technological advances in semiconductor processing technologies also allow to produce a variety of lasers with nanostructured active regions that give rise to interesting physics and allow designing new innovative devices.

Nowadays, nonlinear laser dynamics is a still growing field of active research, and this book focuses and reviews recent advances in this area. In an interdisciplinary approach, it will concentrate on mathematical, physical, as well as experimental aspects. By discussing problems such as the modeling of integrated devices, the creation of networks, exploitation of chaotic lasers for secure communication, and the use of nanostructured lasers for logic gates and memory elements, it will enter innovative grounds and hopefully inspire future research on that topic.

On the occasion of the sixtieth birthday of Prof. Eckehard Schll, this book is also intended to recognize the work during his scientific career, as he always enforced the connection between rigorous mathematical analysis and physical modeling. For this reason, the contributors are former and future collaborators of Prof. Eckehard Schll.

The book is separated into three parts. Within the first part, Nanostructured devices, the dynamic properties and modeling aspects of Quantum Dot Lasers, Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers, and Quantum Cascade Lasers are reviewed, while the second part Coupled Laser Devices focusses on the complex dynamics and bifurcations induced by self coupling, delay coupling, or mode coupling of lasers. The third part, Synchronization and Cryptography, discusses the chaotic dynamics of excitable systems and their application for secure communication or for the generation of synchronized cluster states in networks.

I am grateful to the group of Prof. Schll for their enduring support during the compilation of this volume and to the staff from Wiley VCH for their excellent help.

Berlin, February 2011

Kathy Ldge

List of Contributors