Abstract

The single-mode inhomogeneously broadened [SMIB] laser in the bad cavity configuration has now become a classic example in the demonstration of low-excitation instabilities in nonlinear systems. The general theoretical models in terms of integro-differential "Maxwell-Bloch" equations have for long been shown to be quantitatively accurate for the description of spontaneous pulsations, experimentally obtained in high-gain lasers such as the He-Xe[1,2]. In terms of dynamical aspects these equations are, because of a polarization integral, of infinitely high dimensions, rendering the physics of the behavior rather inscrutable. Recently we have constructed a much more tractable model which consists of only 6 differential equations, yet its deep numerical investigation has shown a one to one qualitative analogy with the infinite-D set of equations in a large range of values of the various control parameters [3]. The simplicity of our model resulted in the clarification of much of the physical insight connected with SMIB laser dynamics.

© 1992 Optical Society of America