Self pulsing solitons: A base for optically controllable pulse trains in photonic networks?

The dynamics of a broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with frequency-selective feedback supporting bistable spatial solitons is analyzed experimentally and theoretically. Self-pulsing is observed and indicates at least partial mode-locking of several external-cavity modes. It is argued that mode-locking of spatial solitons is an interesting and viable way to achieve three-dimensional, spatio-temporal self-localization and that these results give preliminary indications of a cavity light bullet component in the dynamics, though probably on a significant background. A possible application might be optically controllable, parallel carrier pulse trains on demand for all-optical processing in photonic networks.