Periodic and chaotic output pulsations in a single-mode inhomogeneously broadened laser

Abstract

We compare the results of theoretical and experimental studies of a unidirectional, single-mode, inhomogeneously broadened ring laser. We find reasonable qualitative agreement between the calculated and observed output pulsations under resonant and detuned operating conditions, and over a fairly wide range of the pump parameter. With the help of homodyne and heterodyne power spectra, we find that the periodic output field oscillations are usually asymmetric in the phase plane. Over restricted regions of the control parameter space, on the other hand, both symmetric and asymmetric pulsations are found, sometimes coexisting for the same parameter values. The power spectra and temporal oscillations often resemble results from the Lorenz model for a single-mode homogeneously broadened laser.