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IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

The dynamics of spatially-resolved laser eigenstates

Fabien Bretenaker, A. Le Floch

Published Jan 1, 1990• 17 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The existence of partially spatially-resolved laser eigenstates is proven, using the polarization walkoff provided by a uniaxial birefringent crystal. The coupling between the ordinary and extraordinary eigenstates is shown to depend greatly on the relative positions of the different elements in the cavity, leading to different eigenstates dynamics. Rotation and inhibition vectorial bistability and vectorial simultaneity are successively isolated, with the removal of the transversal degeneracy of the two eigenstates allowing a simple eigenstate selection.>

DOI
10.1109/3.102619

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The existence of partially spatially-resolved laser eigenstates is proven, using the polarization walkoff provided by a uniaxial birefringent crystal. The coupling between the ordinary and extraordinary eigenstates is shown to depend greatly on the relative positions of the different elements in the cavity, leading to different eigenstates dynamics. Rotation and inhibition vectorial bistability and vectorial simultaneity are successively isolated, with the removal of the transversal degeneracy of the two eigenstates allowing a simple eigenstate selection.>
The basic mechanisms of the polarization switching in vectorial bistable lasers are studied both theoretically and experimentally versus internal parameters. In particular, by scanning the frequency of a gas laser with two linearly polarized eigenstates, two quite different flipping processes with hysteresis occur according to the linear-phase-anisotropy value of the cavity. Indeed, when the anisotropy increases, rotation and inhibition mechanisms appear successively. The variations of the hysteresis loop for different anisotropy and excitation values are theoretically found to be opposed in the two processes. Additional evolutions of the polarization, such as multiple switchings in the inhibition mechanism and ``hybrid'' hysteresis loops, are predicted. The experiments, essentially performed on a monomode 3.39-\ensuremath{\mu}m $^{3}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}^{20}$Ne laser containing an adjustable linear phase anisotropy, confirm the existence of the two processes and their corresponding properties. These processes may also occur in other quasi-isotropic lasers versus other internal parameters, such as, for instance, the injection current in semiconductor lasers. In this case the TE and TM modes flip only in the inhibition mechanism when the bistability conditions are satisfied. The knowledge of the basic flipping mechanisms in the laser itself enables us to understand and realize the external optical-polarization control by an anisotropic feedback (one-frequency systems). Induced-rotation and induced-inhibition mechanisms are then theoretically predicted and experimentally verified. Sensitive optical gates are realized by varying the feedback phase in both processes.
The basic mechanisms of external all-optical control of polarization bistabilities are isolated in one- and two-frequency systems. Induced rotation and induced inhibition mechanisms by vectorial injection in lasers are theoretically predicted and experimentally shown in both systems. The sensitivity of the vectorial systems leads to subfemtojoule switching energies, which correspond to the theoretical threshold values. A reduction by four orders of magnitude compared to the lowest energy demonstrated in scalar passive systems is obtained.
We study theoretically the dynamic behavior of a J′=1→J″=0 laser (J is the angular momentum quantum number) optically pumped by means of a linearly polarized coherent field (coupled to an adjacent transition J=0→J′=1) when the pump field polarization is rotated at a constant angular velocity Ω and the laser field polarization either is fixed by the cavity or is free (isotropic cavity). Because of a strong pump-induced gain anisotropy, the dynamic behavior is completely different in each case. In the case of fixed laser field polarization, rich amplitude dynamics, which depend on the pump field strength, are found. At slow modulation frequencies (with respect to the molecular and the cavity relaxation rates), the system does not always follow the sequence of stationary and dynamic solutions that correspond to the autonomous laser as a function of the relative orientation angle between the polarizations of the pump and the laser fields. Phenomena such as delayed switching and suppression of chaos and stabilization of unstable steady states are found. In the case of an isotropic cavity, the pump field vector rotation is transferred to the laser field vector and amplitude unstable regimes are also strongly inhibited.
Polarization bistability has been proposed as having a number of advantages over conventional schemes.1 We have investigated polarization switching in a Fabry-Perot cavity filled with an aligned nematic. In this nonlinear, birefringent cavity, the transmittance for each polarization is a single valued function of the irradiance inside the cavity. This couples the two polarizations so that, unless sufficiently separated spatially, they switch simultaneously. Although limiting the range of possible applications, this coupling may be used to advantage to implement some optical latches.