Complexity of chaotic optical frequency combs

Abstract: The dynamics of a single-mode semiconductor laser induced by the optical injection of a frequency comb are analyzed through the lens of complexity. In particular, the focus is dynamics outside the injection-locking region. Permutation entropy (P.E.) and chaos bandwidth (CBW) are used to quantify complexity. Various numerically simulated system outputs across the frequency detuning range and for different injection strengths are considered. Numerically simulated outputs from a single-mode injection system in the absence of comb injection are compared to comment on the origin of the reported complexity. Furthermore, experimental outputs are used to confirm the findings. Despite the presence of periodic dynamics originating from the frequency comb, the presented system generates remarkably high complex outputs with P.E. up to 0.99 maintained over an extended period of observation and long timescales with CBW up to 25 GHz.