Abstract

By inserting a specially constructed optical diode, whose losses differ by a controllable amount for waves traveling in opposite directions, into the cavity of a two-mode dye ring laser, we succeeded in studying the statistical fluctuation properties of the laser as a function of asymmetry. This includes the moments of the light intensities, their probability distributions, and the on and off probabilities for each mode. We also observe hysteresis in the mean light intensity when the asymmetry is varied cyclically. The experimental results are compared with analytic solutions of the equations of motion without pumping fluctuations and with computer solutions with pumping fluctuations. Reasonable agreement is found in almost all conditions in the latter case. But even the analytic solution gives a fair account of the experimental results, provided the difference pump parameter in certain expressions is scaled up by a factor of 20.

© 1988 Optical Society of America