Effects of optical feedback on vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers: experiment and model

We show that the output power of a VCSEL under optical feedback can display instabilities whose origin is associated to the interplay between the two linear polarization states of the optical field. In particular, we study the behavior of the VCSEL with optical feedback as a function of the injection current. We show that for perfect phase matching and alignment of the external cavity, the output power is stable, although anti-phase oscillations of the two linear polarization components occur.