Abstract

We consider a degenerate optical parametric oscillator in a ring cavity driven by an external electric field E_i at the frequency 2ω. This field is converted by a χ⁽²⁾ medium into a field at frequency ω. The homogeneous steady-state can be destabilized by either a Hopf bifurcation associated with a self-pulsing or a modulational (Turing) instability leading to stationary, spatially periodic patterns. The relative order between the two bifurcations on the homogeneous steady-state branch is controlled by the linear loss of the saturable absorber.

© 1998 IEEE