Spontaneous pulsing, period doubling, and quasi-periodicity in a unidirectional, single-mode, inhomogeneously broadened ring laser

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · J. Opt. Soc. Am. B: Opt. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.2.000102· OSTI ID:6032417

Hoffer, L M; Chyba, T H; Abraham, N B

Studies of a unidirectional ring laser using the 3.51-..mu..m transition in xenon reveal a well-defined second threshold above the threshold for cw lasing at which spontaneous self-pulsing is observed. Higher excitation thresholds are found for transitions through a sequence of period doublings or to quasi-peridoic behavior (two independent pulsing frequencies). Detuning the laser cavity from resonance does not lead to the dramatic complications in the pulsing structure that were observed in Fabry-Perot lasers. Instead, with increasing detuning we find a smooth reduction in complexity of the dynamical behavior that seems to correspond principally to the reduction in the gain and the laser intensity with detuning. We also find some evidence that transverse beam profiles cause qualitative and quantitative changes in the location and nature of the various transitions.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010
• OSTI ID: 6032417
• Journal Information: J. Opt. Soc. Am. B: Opt. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Opt. Soc. Am. B: Opt. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 2:1; ISSN JOBPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
AMPLIFICATION
BEAM PROFILES
DESIGN
ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
FLUIDS
GAIN
GAS LASERS
GASES
INSTABILITY
LASER CAVITIES
LASERS
LINE BROADENING
NONLINEAR OPTICS
NONMETALS
OPTICAL MODES
OPTICS
OSCILLATION MODES
POWER
PULSATIONS
PULSES
RADIATIONS
RARE GASES
RING LASERS
THRESHOLD ENERGY
TUNING
VARIATIONS
XENON