Influences of current modulation on nonlinear dynamics of an optical feedback interband cascade laser operating at period-one oscillation

Interband Cascade Lasers (ICLs) subject to optical feedback can produce periodic oscillations. In this work, we investigate experimentally the influences of current modulation on nonlinear dynamics of an optical feedback ICL operating at period-one (P1) oscillation. By varying the power and frequency of current modulation, we can examine the variations in the time series, power spectrum, and phase portrait of the laser output resulting from the introduction of current modulation. The results show that, the P1 fundamental frequency of the optical feedback ICL exhibits a frequency drift after introducing a current modulation with a relatively low modulation power. When the modulation power is set at a relatively high level, the optical feedback laser may behave the locking phenomenon, period-three (P3) state or period-two (P2) state under a modulation frequency close to theP1 fundamental frequency of the optical feedback ICL.