Self-localized structures in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with external feedback

In this paper, we analyze a model of broad area vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers subjected to
frequency-selective optical feedback. In particular, we analyze the spatio-temporal regimes arising above
threshold and the existence and dynamical properties of cavity solitons. We build the bifurcation diagram of
stationary self-localized states, finding that branches of cavity solitons emerge from the degenerate Hopf
bifurcations marking the homogeneous solutions with maximal and minimal gain. These branches collide in a
saddle-node bifurcation, defining a maximum pump current for soliton existence that lies below the threshold
of the laser without feedback. The properties of these cavity solitons are in good agreement with those
observed in recent experiments.