Periodic and chaotic breathing of pulses in a ringlaser

Abstract

By a numerical integration of the laser equations for a homogeneously broadened, two level ringlaser system, we have found that in addition to the cw solution and the selfpulsing solution more complicated solutions are possible. These solutions are pulse solutions, where the maximum or minimum pulse amplitude in the cavity varies with time (breathing of the pulses). These variations occur either in a periodic or in a chaotic fashion, depending on the parameters and initial conditions. The characteristic times of these variations are usually much longer than the time needed for a light pulse to travel through the cavity.