Low-frequency relative intensity noise due to nonlinear mode competition in InGaAsP-InP microring lasers

An enhanced low frequency relative intensity noise due to mode hopping induced from the asymmetric gain suppression in InGaAsP-InP microring lasers, is observed experimentally for the first time. The experimental results are in good agreement to those predicted by a multimode model based on the rate equation approximation accounting for both symmetric and asymmetric nonlinear gain suppression.