Four-wave mixing (FWM) is an important nonlinear optical phenomenon that underlines many of the discoveries and device applications since the laser was invented. Examples include parametric amplification, mode-locked pulses and frequency combs, and in the quantum optics regime, entangled-photon generation, squeezed-state production and optical transduction from the visible to infrared wavelengths. For quantum dot systems, the basic understanding of FWM is limited by the conventional investigation method, which concentrates on the FWM susceptibility measured with optical amplifiers. This paper addresses this weakness by performing laser experiments to account for all optical nonlinearities contributing to the FWM signal. Meanwhile, we gain valuable insight into the intricate interplay among optical nonlinearities. Using quantum dot lasers directly grown on silicon, we achieved FWM conversion efficiency sufficient to demonstrate self-mode-locking in a single-section laser diode, with sub-ps mode-locked pulse duration and kHz frequency-comb linewidth. A comparison with first-principles based multimode laser theory indicates measured FWM conversion efficiencies that are close to the theoretical limit. An advantage over earlier studies and crucial to confidence in the results are the quality and reproducibility of state-of-the-art quantum dot lasers. They make possible the detailed study of conversion efficiency over a broad parameter space, and the identification of the importance of p-doping. Systematic improvement based on our understanding of underlying physics will lead to transform limited performance and effective compensation of intrinsic and extrinsic effects, such as linewidth enhancement and background dispersion. The integration of FWM with lasing impacts numerous optoelectronic components used in telecom and datacom.
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