Abstract

The equations of motion of the bidirectional ring laser with both spontaneous emission fluctuations and backscattering have been investigated, partly analytically, but mainly by a Monte Carlo technique. The light intensities of the two modes, the phase difference, and the autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions were calculated. The kind of behavior exhibited by the laser is found to depend critically on the phases of the backscattered fields. Some values lead to positive cross correlations in the region where the laser ordinarily exhibits zero or negative correlations, and others to negative cross correlations. When the phases of the two modes are not locked together they undergo random jumps in integer multiples of 2π. The results of the calculations are compared with experimental results from which some conclusions about the backscattering can be drawn.

© 1985 Optical Society of America