Modal Interference and Dynamical Instability in a Solid-State Slice Laser with Asymmetric End-Pumping

Abstract

We observed complicated emission patterns consisting of many transverse modes and associated intensity pulsations at beat frequencies between some pairs of transverse eigenmodes in a solid‐state thin slice laser with laser‐diode asymmetric end‐pumping. The dependence of transverse patterns on pump power and crystal rotation has been demonstrated. The pump‐power dependent pulsation frequency and the resonant excitation of chaotic oscillation have been observed. The interference among non‐orthogonal transverse eigenmode fields, which are formed in a thin‐slice Fabry‐Perot cavity possessing an asymmetric gradient potential for optical waves, is shown to result in intensity modulations.