Generating conditions of the optical feedback noise in self-pulsing lasers were experimentally examined. The noise charcteristics were determined by changing the operating power, the feedback distance and the feedback ratio for several types of self-pulsing lasers. The idea of the effective modulation index was introduced to evaluate the generating conditions in an uniform manner based on the mode competition theory. Validity of the idea was experimentally confirmed for generation of noise.

Theoretical calculations of the pulsing operation and the intensity noise under the optical feedback are demonstrated for operation of the self-sustained pulsation lasers. Two alternative models for the optical feedback effect, namely the time delayed injection model and the external cavity model, are applied in a combined manner to analyze the phenomena. The calculation starts by supposing the geometrical structure of the laser and the material parameters, and are ended by evaluating the noise. Characteristics of the feedback induced noise for variations of the operating parameters, such as the injection current, the feedback distance and the feedback ratio, are examined. A comparison to experimental data is also given to ensure accuracy of the calculation.

The semiconductor lasers operating with self-sustained pulsation are under developing to be lasers which are less disturbed by the optical feedback from a surface of optical disk. Structures setting saturable absorbing regions utilizing the multi-layer configuration become popularly used for giving stronger pulsation. However, the quantum (intensity) noise in these lasers tends to be enhanced. The ridge stripe structure, of which almost self-sustained pulsation lasers consist, seems to give a leak current flowing along plane of the cladding region. Such leak current also increases the quantum noise. In this paper, theoretical calculations of operating characteristics, such as the self-sustained pulsation, the optical output, the quantum noise as well as the transverse filed profile, are theoretically analyzed by including the above mentioned several phenomena.