Abstract

We experimentally investigate scaling laws near the onset of oscillation. To this end amplitude and phase distributions are measured in the vicinity of the threshold. The experiment consists of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot resonator filled with sodium atoms in a buffer gas atmosphere that are pumped by cw light near the D₁ line. Under the influence of an external magnetic field the transmitted light intensity has been shown before to exhibit bi- and tristability, self oscillations,^[1] and chaos.^[2] Here, we investigate the onset of the first oscillation from steady state, and the onset of the subharmonic at the first period doubling threshold.

© 1992 IQEC