Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review A

Spatiotemporal instabilities in a Fabry-Pérot resonator filled with sodium vapor

P. La Penna, Giovanni Giusfredi

Published Sep 1, 1993• 19 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report on instabilities in the transmitted polarization of a laser beam crossing a planar Fabry-P\'erot resonator filled with sodium vapor, at a null magnetic field, when the input field is linearly polarized and tuned near the center of the D1 line. We have measured bifurcation diagrams in the input-power--cavity-detuning parameter space at various angles of incidence. The system shows monostability, bistability, and limit cycles in the transmitted polarization. Oscillations appear only when the angle of incidence is different from zero and the oscillation phase changes with the position on the transverse profile. The observed dynamics is explained by a simplified model which accounts for Zeeman and hyperfine pumpings, focusing and defocusing effects, and atomic motion. By means of this model, we have determined the codimensionality of the system within a theory of the dynamical systems.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.48.2299

Related papers

Intrinsic oscillations in the polarization of light transmitted by a sodium-filled Fabry–Perot resonator

P. Salieri, Giovanni Giusfredi, S. Cecchi +1 more

We report on the static and dynamic behavior of the intensity and polarization of the light transmitted by a Fabry–Perot cavity filled with sodium vapor without a buffer gas. The light beam is resonant with the D1 transition, and the behavior can be traced back to the simultaneous presence of Zeeman pumping and hyperfine pumping in the sodium ground state, combined with velocity-selective hole-burning effects. Together with optical bistability, tristability, and pitchfork bifurcation, the system displays intrinsic oscillations in the absence of a magnetic field. We discuss the features of these phenomena, particularly the appearance of Hopf bifurcations, and the ways they are affected by the experimental control parameters. We also report evidence of period doubling and of more-complex dynamics in the presence of a magnetic field.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•May 1, 1988•7 citations

Transverse optical bistability and formation of transverse structures in a sodium-filled Fabry-Pérot resonator

J. Nalik, Lois M. Hoffer, Gian Luca Lippi +2 more

We report the observation of transverse optical bistability (TOB) in a sodium-filled Fabry-P\'erot resonator, pumped by circularly polarized light, nearly resonant with the ${\mathit{D}}_{1}$ line, in the presence of a buffer gas, for low vapor density. A sequence of circularly symmetric patterns, ascribable to superpositions of resonator modes, is obtained. The appearance of TOB can be explained in terms of a self-induced intensity-dependent lens formed in the medium by the interaction with the laser light. A simple model that considers the transverse diffusion of the atoms inside the cell provides predictions in good qualitative agreement with the observations.

Physical Review A•Apr 1, 1992•26 citations

Critical Slowing Down and Magnetically-Induced Self-Pulsing in a Sodium-Filled Fabry-Perot Resonator

J. Mlynek, Fedor M. Mitschke, Wulfhard K. Lange

We report on the observation of critical slowing down and of self-pulsing in a Fabry-Perot resonator (FP) filled with sodium atoms under conditions of transverse optical pumping /1/. The experimental set-up (see Fig.1) is similar to the one used in steady-state bistability studies reported before /2/. The dye laser, optically isolated from the FP by means of a Faraday rotator (FR) is detuned from the Na D1-line by 10 to 20 GHz. The sodium sample (N ≃ 1013 cm–3, buffer gas: argon, p=200 mbar) is placed in a near confocal Fabry-Perot (Beam waist: 1 20 μm) and can be subjected to a transverse magnetic field B. The intensity of the laser beam can be switched by means of an electro-optic modulator(EOM), thus providing input-steps of variable height (power:5 – 50 mW). A polarizer P1 is used to either circularly or linearly polarize the input beam. The right– and left circular polarization components of the resonator output beam can be separated by means of a λ/4-plate and a polarizing beam splitter P2. A pair of photodiodes PDi is used for detection.

Topical Meeting on Optical Bistability (OB)•Jan 1, 1983•0 citations

Transmission Properties Of A Sodium-Filled Fabry-Perot

Giovanni Giusfredi, S Cecchi, E. Petriella +2 more

We report on systematic studies of the static and dynamic behavior of intensity and polarization of the light transmitted by a sodium-filled Fabry-Perot cavity. The device displays a rich variety of phenomena, including optical bistability, tristability, pitchfork bifurcation, as well as intrinsic oscillations. The behavior can be traced back to the simultaneous presence of Zeeman pumping and hyperfine pumping in the sodium ground state, combined with velocity selective hole burning effects.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Oct 14, 1986•0 citations

Mutistability and oscilations in the polarization of light transmitted by a Na vapor-filled Fabry-Perot: D1 inhormogeneous line

Giovanni Giusfredi, P. Salieri, S. CECCHI +1 more

In the first experiment on optical bistability (OB),1 nonlinear dispersion was provided by hyperfine optical pumping between the F = 1 and F = 2 Na ground state subleveis induced by linearly polarized light tuned on the D2 line. Later, with circularly polarized light tuned on the D1 line and longitudinal Zeeman pumping, we obtained low-power OB2 and optical instability (OT) based on polarization switching.3

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics•Jan 1, 1985•0 citations

Sodium atoms in Fabry-Perot resonators: studies of static and dynamic behaviour in transverse magnetic fields

Wulfhard K. Lange, Fedor M. Mitschke, R. Deserno +1 more

Abstract In experiments on a sodium-filled Fabry—Perot resonator optical bistability, tristability and critical slowing-down were observed, as well as magnetically induced self-pulsing (Phys. Rev. Lett. 50, 1660 (1983)). Our experimental results can be explained by the model of Kitano, Yabuzaki & Ogawa (Phys. Rev. A 24, 3156 (1981)) in a qualitative way. In a more detailed treatment we obtain modified equations of motion that make phase space three-dimensional. The results of a stability analysis and of numerical solutions of the equations of motion are compared to experimental observations. We discuss the limitations of the adiabatic elimination of the cavity and demonstrate that not only tristable but also bistable systems can evolve into oscillatory states under the action of a static magnetic field; though the range of allowed experimental parameters is more restricted.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series A Mathematical and Physical Sciences•Dec 18, 1984•1 citation
We report on instabilities in the transmitted polarization of a laser beam crossing a planar Fabry-P'erot resonator filled with sodium vapor, at a null magnetic field, when the input field is linearly polarized and tuned near the center of the D1 line. We have measured bifurcation diagrams in the input-power--cavity-detuning parameter space at various angles of incidence. The system shows monostability, bistability, and limit cycles in the transmitted polarization. Oscillations appear only when the angle of incidence is different from zero and the oscillation phase changes with the position on the transverse profile. The observed dynamics is explained by a simplified model which accounts for Zeeman and hyperfine pumpings, focusing and defocusing effects, and atomic motion. By means of this model, we have determined the codimensionality of the system within a theory of the dynamical systems.
We report on the static and dynamic behavior of the intensity and polarization of the light transmitted by a Fabry–Perot cavity filled with sodium vapor without a buffer gas. The light beam is resonant with the D1 transition, and the behavior can be traced back to the simultaneous presence of Zeeman pumping and hyperfine pumping in the sodium ground state, combined with velocity-selective hole-burning effects. Together with optical bistability, tristability, and pitchfork bifurcation, the system displays intrinsic oscillations in the absence of a magnetic field. We discuss the features of these phenomena, particularly the appearance of Hopf bifurcations, and the ways they are affected by the experimental control parameters. We also report evidence of period doubling and of more-complex dynamics in the presence of a magnetic field.
We report the observation of transverse optical bistability (TOB) in a sodium-filled Fabry-P\'erot resonator, pumped by circularly polarized light, nearly resonant with the D1{\mathit{D}}_{1}D1​ line, in the presence of a buffer gas, for low vapor density. A sequence of circularly symmetric patterns, ascribable to superpositions of resonator modes, is obtained. The appearance of TOB can be explained in terms of a self-induced intensity-dependent lens formed in the medium by the interaction with the laser light. A simple model that considers the transverse diffusion of the atoms inside the cell provides predictions in good qualitative agreement with the observations.
We report on the observation of critical slowing down and of self-pulsing in a Fabry-Perot resonator (FP) filled with sodium atoms under conditions of transverse optical pumping /1/. The experimental set-up (see Fig.1) is similar to the one used in steady-state bistability studies reported before /2/. The dye laser, optically isolated from the FP by means of a Faraday rotator (FR) is detuned from the Na D1-line by 10 to 20 GHz. The sodium sample (N ≃ 1013 cm–3, buffer gas: argon, p=200 mbar) is placed in a near confocal Fabry-Perot (Beam waist: 1 20 μm) and can be subjected to a transverse magnetic field B. The intensity of the laser beam can be switched by means of an electro-optic modulator(EOM), thus providing input-steps of variable height (power:5 – 50 mW). A polarizer P1 is used to either circularly or linearly polarize the input beam. The right– and left circular polarization components of the resonator output beam can be separated by means of a λ/4-plate and a polarizing beam splitter P2. A pair of photodiodes PDi is used for detection.
Abstract In experiments on a sodium-filled Fabry—Perot resonator optical bistability, tristability and critical slowing-down were observed, as well as magnetically induced self-pulsing (Phys. Rev. Lett. 50, 1660 (1983)). Our experimental results can be explained by the model of Kitano, Yabuzaki & Ogawa (Phys. Rev. A 24, 3156 (1981)) in a qualitative way. In a more detailed treatment we obtain modified equations of motion that make phase space three-dimensional. The results of a stability analysis and of numerical solutions of the equations of motion are compared to experimental observations. We discuss the limitations of the adiabatic elimination of the cavity and demonstrate that not only tristable but also bistable systems can evolve into oscillatory states under the action of a static magnetic field; though the range of allowed experimental parameters is more restricted.