Abstract

Actively modelocked gas lasers are known to exhibit multiple pulse operation with negative detuning between the modulation period of the modelocker and the round-trip time of the passive laser cavity,^1,2 although the dynamics of this regime are not well understood. Typical experimental results from a mode-locked argon laser are shown in Figs, laic, illustrating the evolution of a satellite pulse on the trailing edge of the main pulse with increasing negative cavity- length detuning (shortening the laser cavity). Numerical simulations of the laser, based on the coupled Maxwell - Bloch equations, have been developed and include the effects of cavity-length detuning for the first time. Results from the simulations with detuning increments identical to the experiments are shown in Figs. Id-If, and clearly reproduce the experimental results.

© 1996 Optical Society of America