Abstract

Extensive studies have been made of the statistical nature of transient dynamics of a laser that result from controlled changes in laser parameters such as switching the pumping or losses (1,2]. Typically, statistical fluctuations are observed in the time taken for the laser intensity to build up to a macroscopically observable level (first passage time or FPT) and these reflect the quantum statistics in laser variables such as the field and population inversion, at the time of parametric switch [3].

© 1996 Optical Society of America