Spatially modeless semiconductor laser cavity for the generation of spatio-temporal localized structures

Spatially Localized States are individually addressable structures that may appear in large aspect-ratio optical resonators. They can be used as bits of information for all-optical buffering. We design and operate a modeless laser cavity based on a 1/2 VCSEL coupled to a distant mirror in self-imaging condition. Our study indicates how a VeCSEL can be specially designed to provide a robust system potentially capable of emitting Spatially Localized States and paves the way towards the observation of three dimensional - in space and time - confined states, the so-called light bullets.