Spatio-temporal dynamics in semiconductor microresonators with thermal effects

In this paper we study the dynamics of the intracavity field, carriers and lattice temperature in externally driven semiconductor microcavities. The combination/competition of the different time-scales of the dynamical variables together with diffraction and carrier/thermal diffusions are responsible for new dynamical behaviors. We report here the occurrence of a spatio-temporal instability of the Hopf type giving rise to Regenerative Oscillations and travelling patterns and cavity solitons. © 2002 Optical Society of America.