The effect of the vectorial degree of freedom on the dynamics of class-A lasers

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 167; no. 1; pp. 235 - 259
• Main Authors: Kul'minskii, A., Loiko, Yu, Voitovich, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.08.1999; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Dynamical laser instabilities; noisy laser behavior; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Gas lasers including excimer and metal-vapor lasers; Laser optical systems: design and operation; Lasers; Nonlinear dynamics; Optics; Physics; Polarization; Polarization behavior; Resonators, cavities, amplifiers, arrays, and rings; Vector lasers; Wave optics; 42.55.Lt; Vector lasers; Nonlinear dynamics; 42.60.Da; 42.60.Mi; 42.25.Ja; Polarization behavior; Polarization; Lasers; Theoretical study; Instability; Relaxation oscillation; Numerical method; Nonlinear dynamical systems
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/S0030-4018(99)00305-3

A rigorous treatment of the vectorial problem in lasers leads to new characteristic constants: the decay rate of the electric field polarization and the frequency of the polarization relaxation oscillations. The physical factor distinguishing them in lasers is the resonator anisotropy. The presence of the polarization characteristic constants provides a new vectorial mechanism for the laser instabilities. The effect of these constants on the behavior of class A lasers is considered in details. The problem is handled in terms of Jones matrices and vectors although a comparison between the present and the Lamb model is given as well. Co-dimension one (saddle node, pitchfork, and Hopf) and two (Takens–Boganov) bifurcations are found analytically in lasers with no magnetic field operating on transitions favoring both linearly ( j→ j ′+1) and circularly ( j>0) polarized emission. A numerical analysis of the lasers subject to the action of the magnetic field reveals that their periodic behaviors can be also attributed to the effect of the novel characteristic constants.