Polarization competition in a quasi-isotropic CO2 laser

Year: 2001

Authors: Leyva I., Allaria E., Meucci R.

Autors Affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata, Largo E. Fermi 6, 50125 Firenze, Italy;
Departamento de Optica, Facultad de Fisica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Abstract: We experimentally study the polarization dynamics of a single-mode CO2 laser during the switch-on transient of the laser intensity. We find a strong competition between two linearly polarized fields, which finally collapse into a single field. As a result of this competition, the two coexisting fields oscillate out of phase by rr rad for time intervals much longer than that of the relaxation oscillation. One can control the oscillation frequency of the two polarized fields by varying the intracavity anisotropies. This phenomenon is interpreted in the framework of Maxwell-Bloch equations by addition of nonlinear terms to the polarization equations that allow the fields to compete while they interact with the same population inversion. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.

Journal/Review: OPTICS LETTERS

Volume: 26 (9)      Pages from: 605  to: 607

KeyWords: Polarized fields, Anisotropy; Laser modes; Light polarization; Maxwell equations; Oscillations, Carbon dioxide lasers
DOI: 10.1364/OL.26.000605

Citations: 7
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