Dynamics of a bistable VCSEL subject to optical feedback from a vibrating rough surface

Abstract

The paper presents an experimental study of the temporal behaviour of a bistable vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) under the effect of optical feedback coming from vibrating diffusely-reflecting surface. We demonstrate that a VCSEL operating in the regime of polarization switchings caused by self-mixing effects can greatly enhance a responsivity of the detection of microvibrations. For small amplitudes of microvibrations (less than $\lambda$/2, where $\lambda$ is the operating wavelength of the laser), which cause only harmonic (or close to harmonic) oscillations in the laser output outside of the bistability region, the use of polarization switching can increase the responsivity up to 45 times. For the amplitudes larger then $\lambda$/2 the response of a bistable VCSEL well reproduces a fine temporal structure of the self-mixing signal. A procedure of the data processing in the switching regime for the correct determination of the direction of the displacement and for the reconstruction of the waveform of surface vibrations with a basic resolution of $\lambda$/2 is also shown.