Ukrainian Mathematical Journal, Vol. 60, No.

3, 2008

AMPLITUDE SYNCHRONIZATION IN A SYSTEM OF TWO COUPLED SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS

S. V. Yanchuk,1, 2, 3 K. R. Schneider,2 and O. B. Lykova 1
UDC 517.958+517.95

We consider a system of ordinary differential equations used to describe the dynamics of two coupled single-mode semiconductor lasers. In particular, we study solutions corresponding to the amplitude synchronization. It is shown that the set of these solutions forms a three-dimensional invariant manifold in the phase space. We study the stability of trajectories on this manifold both in the tangential direction and in the transverse direction. We establish conditions for the existence of globally asymptotically stable solutions of equations on the manifold synchronized with respect to the amplitude.

1. Introduction Semiconductor lasers4 are successfully used in numerous applications [1]. The problems of synchronization of coupled lasers are of especial interest [212]. These problems are encountered, in particular, in connection with the necessity to increase the power of radiation by using laser lattices [13] and in the construction of optical systems aimed at the transmission of protected data. As a mathematical model of this problem, one can use the following system of coupled ordinary differential equations [3]: dE 1 = i E1 + (1 + i ) N1E1 + e i E2 , dt dN1 = J N1 (2 N1 + 1) E1 2 , dt (1) dE2 = (1 + i ) N 2 E2 + e i E1 , dt dN 2 = J N 2 (2 N 2 + 1) E2 dt

],

where E 1 and E 2 are the complex amplitudes of the optical field, N1 and N 2 are real variables (densities of charge carriers in the active zones of lasers), is the frequency offset of the lasers, J is the level of pumping,
1 Institute of Mathematics, Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, Kiev, Ukraine. 2 Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics, Berlin, Germany. 3 Institute of Mathematics, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. 4 Laser is a device generating a coherent electromagnetic radiation.

Translated from Ukrainskyi Matematychnyi Zhurnal, Vol. 60, No. 3, pp. 426435, March, 2008. Original article submitted November 7, 2007. 00415995/08/60030495 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 495

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, 0 < < 1 / 2 , characterizes the force of interaction of the lasers, is the phase of interaction, and is the ratio of the average lifetime of photons to the average lifetime of carriers. The presence of a small parameter is responsible for the slow-fast structure of system (1). We now recall several important properties of system (1) caused by the symmetries. The SO(2) symmetry:

(E1, N1, E2 , N2 ) (E1ei , N1, E2 ei , N2 )

leads to the existence of invariant periodic solutions (CW-solutions [12, 3]) Ej (t ) = a j e
it + iv j

Nj (t ) = rj ,

(2)

where , aj , vj , r j R , j = 1, 2. These solutions are also called stationary because they correspond to the modes with stationary intensity E j (t ) . Moreover, the indicated symmetry means that, for the corresponding values of the parameters, system (1) has modulated wave solutions (MW-solutions), i.e., quasiperiodic solutions of the form E j (t ) = a j (t ) e
it + iv j

N j (t ) = rj (t ),

a j (t + T ) = a j (t ),

rj (t + T ) = rj (t ),

(3)

where , T, aj ( t ) , rj ( t ) , vj R for all t R . For = 0, system (1) is characterized by another important type of symmetry, called Z2 -symmetry:

( E1 , N1, E2 , N2 ) ( E2 , N2 , E1 , N1) ,
for which system (1) is invariant. In what follows, we set = 0. From the physical point of view, this corresponds the case where the distance between the lasers is equal to an integer number of lengths of the optical waves [3]. 2. Reduced System The presence of the SO(2)-symmetry of system (1) can decrease the dimensionality of the analyzed system. This can be realized by the change of variables Ej ( a j , j ) : E1(t ) = a1(t ) ei 1(t ) and E2 (t ) = a2 (t ) ei 2 (t ) ,

where aj and j are new real variables. In this case, we assume that a1(t ) > 0 and a2 (t ) > 0 for all t R . By = 1 2 we denote the phase difference of the lasers. As a result of the change of variables, system (1) is reduced to the form da1 = N1a1 + a2 cos , dt

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dN1 2 = J N1 (2 N1 + 1) a1 , dt da2 = N2a2 + a1 cos , dt dN2 2 = J N2 (2 N2 + 1) a2 , dt a a d = + ( N1 N2 ) 2 + 1 sin . a1 a2 dt System (4) does not have the SO(2)-symmetry and is studied in the phase space R 4 S 1 . Therefore, in new variables, all CW-solutions of the form (2) become stationary and all MW-solutions of the form (3) become periodic. The following theorem is true for system (4): Theorem 1. The subspace M : = {(a1, N1, a2 , N2 ) : a1 = a2 , N1 = N2} is invariant under the flow specified by system (4). Proof. The statement of the theorem follows from the fact that system (4) is invariant under the transformation T : (a1, N1, a2 , N2 ) (a2 , N2 , a1, N1) . Since the subspace M is a fixed point of this transformation, it is invariant under the flow specified by system (4). In what follows, the subspace M is called the manifold of solutions of system (4) synchronized with respect to the amplitude. Since, in the general case, 0, the phases can be not synchronized. This enables us to reveal the presence of a new phenomenon in the system of coupled lasers characterized by the synchronization only of some components of two coupled nonidentical systems. It is easy to see that, on the manifold M, system (4) is reduced to a system of three ordinary differential equations. Indeed, substituting N1 = N2 = N and a1 = a2 = a in (4), we find da = Na + a cos , dt dN = J N (2 N + 1) a2 , dt d = 2 sin . dt (5) (4)

(6)

(7)

The dynamics of system (5)(7) specifies the dynamics of the original system of fast equations synchronized with respect to the amplitude. Our aim is to prove the existence of stable solutions, e.g., of a globally asymptotically stable equilibrium position or of a periodic solution of system (5)(7). System (5)(7) has the following specific features:

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(a) R R S 1 is the phase space; (b) Eq. (7) is independent of the other equations; there exists an explicit general integral ( t, c ) of this scalar differential equation; (c) the subspace { a = 0 } R S
1

is invariant under the relative flow specified by system (5) (7);

(d) system (5)(7) is invariant under the transformation (a, N , ) ( a, N , ) . According to property (b), system (5)(7) can be regarded as a two-dimensional nonautonomous system. In particular, if the parameter is small, then the analyzed system can be regarded as the following two-dimensional autonomous system with nonautonomous perturbation: da = a [N + cos (t , c)], dt (8) dN = J N (2N + 1) a 2 . dt If Eq. (7) possesses an asymptotically stable equilibrium position 0 , then the phase space of system (5)(7) contains an attracting invariant subspace R R { 0} . In view of properties (c) and (d), it suffices to consider the behavior of system (5)(7) in the half plane a > 0.5 After the change of variables x = ln a, system (8) is reduced to the following system: dx = N + cos (t , c) , dt dN = J N (2N + 1) e 2x . dt Note that the deduced system is equivalent to the Lienard equation: x + x (1 + 2e 2x ) + sin (t , c) d (t , c) + (1 2 cos (t , c)) e 2x J cos (t , c) = 0, dt (9)

(10)

(10)

where the primes denote the derivatives with respect to t . The following lemma describes the dynamics of Eq. (7): Lemma 1. Suppose that and are positive parameters and satisfies the inequality 0 < < Then
5 The choice of a > 0 is also physically substantiated.

1 . 2

(12)

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(i) for = 2 , Eq. (7) possesses a unique nonrough unstable equilibrium position = m = / 2 ( mod 2 ) on S1 ; (ii) for 0 < < 2, Eq. (7) possesses exactly two equilibrium positions = 0 < / 2 and = 1 > / 2; the equilibrium positions 0 and 1 are, respectively, asymptotically stable and unstable; (iii) for > 2 > 0, Eq. (7) possesses a periodic solution 2 t = p( t ) = 2 arctan + tan 2 4 2 2

2 2 1

(13)

with period T = 2 4 2
2

satisfying the relation p( 0 ) = 2 arctan (2 / ) (i.e., p( T ) = p( 0 ) + 2 ) . It follows from Lemma 1 that, for 0 < < 2, there are two equilibrium positions and two heteroclinic trajectories connecting the equilibrium positions. For = 2 , the equilibrium positions coincide and there is one homoclinic trajectory. For > 2 , there exists a periodic solution generated by the homoclinic trajectory, i.e., the period of this solution approaches infinity as tends to 2 . 3. Equilibrium Positions on the Manifold M and Their Global Stability In the present section, we study the equilibrium positions of system (5)(7) and their stability. It follows from Lemma 1 that system (5)(7) may have stable equilibrium positions only for 0 < < 2 . In this case, = 0 < / 2. Therefore, in the stable subspace R R { 0} , system (5)(7) takes the form da = aN + a cos 0 , dt dN = J N (2N + 1) e 2x . dt (14)

(15)

Under condition (12), in view of the facts that J > 0 and cos 0 > 0, this system possesses the equilibrium positions R0 : and also a = a0 = J + cos 0 , 1 2 cos 0 N = cos 0 (16)

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R1 :

a = 0, N = J.

(17)

The eigenvalues 1,2 corresponding to the equilibrium position R0 have the form (1 + 2J ) = 2 (1 2 cos 0 ) 2 (1 + 2J ) 2 (J + 2 cos 0 ) . 2 (1 2 cos 0 )

1,2

Under conditions (12) and J > 0, the eigenvalues 1 and 2 have negative real parts. This means that the equilibrium position R0 is (locally) asymptotically stable. To study the domain of attraction of the equilibrium position R0 , we use the fact that system (14), (15) can be reduced to the Lienard equation by the change of variables x = ln a: d 2x dx 2x 2x J cos 0 = 0. 2 + dt (1 + 2 e ) + (1 2 cos 0 ) e dt

By the change of variables x = x0 + , where x0 = ln a0 , we find d 2 d g 2 + f () dt + () = 0. dt Here, f ( ) = 1 + 2 e 2x 0 e 2 , g ( ) = (1 2 cos 0 ) e 2x 0 e 2 J cos 0 . Hence, the following relations are true: f ( ) > 0 for all ,

f () d
0

as

g ( 0 ) = 0,

g() > 0

for all

By applying the well-known result [14, p. 225], we conclude that the equilibrium position R0 is globally asymptotically stable with respect to the variables x and N and, hence, the domain of attraction expressed in terms of the variables a and N includes a > 0 and N R . As a result, we arrive at the following theorem:

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(5) (7) is asymptotically stable with domain of attraction {a > 0} R S 1.

Theorem 2. Let < 2 , J, > 0, and 0 < < 1 / 2 . Then the equilibrium position R 0 of system

Note that, in view of the symmetry of the problem, a similar statement is true for the symmetric equilibrium position R0 : a = a0 , N = cos 0 in the half plane a < 0. 4. Formation of Stable Periodic Solutions on the Manifold M In a practically important case of weak interaction between the lasers, i.e., for << 1, it is possible to establish the existence of stable periodic solutions of the system on the manifold. Theorem 3. If the parameter > 0 is sufficiently small and, in addition, , J > 0, then system (5)(7) contains a stable limiting cycle approaching the equilibrium position N = 0, a = J as 0. Proof. For = 0, the equilibrium position of system (5), (6) N = 0, a = (1 + 2J ) 2 (1 + 2J ) 2 2 J 2 J possesses the eigenvalues (18)

1,2 =

with negative real parts: Re 1,2 < 0, i.e., is exponentially stable. Further, note that the inequality > 2 holds for all sufficiently small . Hence, the solution of Eq. (7) has the form (13) and the function cos (t ) is periodic with respect to t. The statement of Theorem 3 follows from the general theorem on periodic perturbations of an exponentially stable equilibrium position [15]. As one of the characteristic features of the equations of dynamics of semiconductor lasers, one can mention the fact that the parameter is small . This enables us to prove the existence of periodic solutions in an important case where the parameter is not small. Theorem 4. If the parameter > 0 is sufficiently small, J > 0, and > 2 , then system (5)(7), contains a stable limiting cycle. To prove this theorem, we use a more general result whose proof lies beyond the scope of the present paper. Here, we only formulate the result: Theorem 5. Suppose that the following periodic boundary-value problem is posed: x + f (t , x , x ) + g (t ) = 0, where T > 0, f C 1(R 3 ) , and g C (R) . If x ( 0 ) = x (T ) , x (0) = x (T ), (19)

502
T

S. V. YANCHUK , K. R. SCHNEIDER,

AND

O. B. LYKOVA

g (s) ds
0

= 0,

(20)

then, for = 0, there exists a one-parameter family of solutions of problem (19). For sufficiently small 0, there exists a unique solution of problem (19) provided that the following conditions are satisfied: (i) the equation
T

f (s, + (s), (s)) ds

0

= 0

(21)

possesses a unique solution 0 , where (t ) =

T

t T

T s

0 0

g () dds

g () dds ;
0 0

t s

(22)

(ii)

x (s, 0 + (s), (s)) ds

0

0.

Proof of Theorem 4. In view of Eq. (11), system (5)(7) can be rewritten in the form (19) with f (t , x , x ) = J + x + cos (t ) + (2x 2 cos (t ) + 1) e 2x and g (t ) = sin (t ) (t ) = sin (t ) ( 2 sin (t )) , where, for the sake of brevity, the parameter c in (t , c) is omitted and (t ) is the T-periodic solution of Eq. (7) (according to Lemma 1). To prove Theorem 4, it suffices to check the conditions of Theorem 5. 1. We now check condition (20). Indeed, we have

sin (s) (s) ds

0

= (cos (T ) cos (0)) = 0.

2. We now check condition (i). For this purpose, it is necessary to determine the explicit form of the function ( t ) given by relation (22). To this end, we use the following auxiliary relations:

g () d =
0

sin () () d
0

= (cos (s) cos (0)) .

(23)

Moreover, we have

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T

503

cos () d
0

= 0.

(24)

Differentiating Eq. (7), we obtain

( ) = 2 cos ,
whence it follows that

(ln ) = 2 cos .

(25)

Further, we integrate (25) over the period and take into account the periodicity of (t ) . This yields relation (24). By using relations (22), (24), and (25), we get the following relation for : ( t ) = cos (s) ds .
0 t

(26)

In view of relation (26), we rewrite Eq. (21) in the form

s 2 + cos ( ) d 0 ds J + 2 cos (s) + e 0

= JT + 2 cos (s) ds +
0 T
s

e
0

2 + cos ( ) d

s 0

)ds
(27)

2 cos ( ) d = JT + e 2 e 0 ds = 0. 0

Equation (27) possesses a unique solution in : 1 1 0 = ln 2 JT Therefore, condition (i) of Theorem 5 is satisfied. 3. We now check condition (ii). Indeed,
T 2 0 + 2 cos ( ) d f 0 ds = 2 JT 0. x (s, 0 + (s), (s)) ds = 2 e 0 0 T
s s 2 cos ( ) d e 0 ds . 0

Thus, Theorem 4 is proved.

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5. Transversal Stability of Stationary Solutions on the Manifold M We now study the transversal stability of stationary solutions of system (4) on the manifold M. To this end, we introduce, in system (4), the following new variables: x = a1 + a 2 , y = N1 + N2 , = a1 a 2 , and = N1 N2 . (28)

As a result, we arrive at the following system of equations: dx 1 = xy + + x cos g1 x , y, , , , dt 2 dy 1 = 2J y (y + 1) (x 2 + 2 ) x g 2 (x , y , , , ) , dt 2 d ( ) x 2 + 2 = + 2 2 sin g 3 (x , y , , , ) , dt x 2 d 1 x + y cos f1 x , y, , , , = dt 2

(29)

(30)

(31)

(32)

d 1 = + (x 2 + 2 ) + x (y + 1) f 2 (x , y , , , ) dt 2

(33)

in which Eqs. (29) (31) describe the dynamics of the original system on the manifold M and Eqs. (32) and (33) describe the dynamics of the original system in the direction transverse to M. In terms of the new coordinates, the manifold M takes the form M :=

{(x , y , , , ) :

= 0, = 0} .

It is easy to see that the following relations are true in view of the invariance of M : f j (x , y , , 0, 0) = 0, Let v = ( x , y, )T and w = (, )
T T

j = 1, 2,

be variations of coordinates in the directions tangential and

transverse to M, respectively, and let F = ( f 1, f 2 ) and G = (g1, g 2, g 3 ) T . For the solution s ( t ) = (x (t ), y (t ), (t ), 0, 0) on the manifold M, we deduce the following variational equations corresponding to (29)(33): d (v) = A (s(t )) v + B (s(t )) w , dt d (w) = C (s(t ))w , dt (34)

(35)

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where 1 y + cos 2 A ( s ) = x ( y + 1) 0 1 x 2 1 1 + x 2 2 0 0 0 , . 1 + 1 x 2 2 x 2 x sin , 0 2 cos

0 B (s ) = 0 0 y cos 2 C(s ) = x ( y + 1)

It follows from Eqs. (34) and (35) that the variational equations have a triangular matrix of coefficients. Moreover, it is easy to see that the transversal variational equation, i.e., the equation for w , is separated from the equation for v . Therefore, to determine the transversal stability of trajectories on the manifold M, it is sufficient to consider system (35). Definition. We say that the solution (x (t ), y (t ), 0, 0) on the manifold M is transversally asymptotically stable (unstable) if the linear variational equation (35) is exponentially asymptotically stable (unstable). As for the local transversal stability of stationary solutions on M, the corresponding results follow from analysis of the global stability on M performed in the previous section. In the new coordinates, the stationary solutions on M take the form R0 : x 1 = 2a 0 , R1 : y 1 = 2 cos 0 , y 2 = 2J , 1 = 0 , 1 = 1 = 0 ,

x 2 = 0,

2 = 0 ,

2 = 2 = 0 ,

where 0 = arcsin ( / 2 ). The transversal stability of the stationary solution R 0 is determined according to signs of the roots of the characteristic equation: 2 cos 0 det 2 J + cos 0 (1 2 cos ) 0 1 2 cos 0 = 0 1 + 2J 1 2 cos 0 J + cos 0 1 2 cos 0

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or

( + 2 cos 0 ) +

1 + 2J + 2 (J + 2 cos 0 ) = 0. 1 2 cos 0

(36)

As a result of the solution of Eq. (36), we find 1 + 2J 1,2 = cos 0 2 1 2 cos For sufficiently small , this yields 1 + 2J J + cos 0 2 + 1 = + O ( ) , cos 0 1 2 cos 0 2 = 2 cos 0 + J + cos 0 + O ( 2 ) . cos 0 2 1 + 2J 1 2 cos 0 8 (J + cos 0 ) . 2 1 2 cos 0

The transversal stability of the stationary solution R 1 is determined according to signs of the roots of the characteristic equation J cos 0 det 0 = 0. 0

We have 1 = J cos 0 and 2 = . Thus, we can formulate the following theorem: Theorem 6. Assume that 0 < < 2 , < 1 / 2 . Then (a) there exists 0 = 0 (, J , 0 ) such that, for all 0 < < 0, the equilibrium position R0 of system (29)(33) is transversally asymptotically stable; (b) the equilibrium position R 1 of system (29)(33) is transversally asymptotically stable (unstable) for all sufficiently small if the condition J cos 0 < 0 ( J cos 0 > 0 ) is satisfied. To prove statement (a), it suffices to note that cos 0 > 0 (according to Lemma 1) and the following inequalities are true under the conditions of the theorem: 1 + 2J J + +1 > 0 1 2 cos 0 cos 0 In conclusion, we note that we have established the conditions of existence (Theorem 1) and stability (Theorems 24 and 6) of the solutions of system (1) of the form (2) and (3) synchronized with respect to the amplitude.

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