Multistability and autostochasticity in a laser with a delayed-response active medium subjected to periodic loss modulation

A theory of multistability of a cw single-mode laser with a delayed-response active medium is developed. It is shown that harmonic modulation of the losses (even to a relatively small depth) generates a complex resonance structure in the laser response. Nonlinear resonances at harmonics and subharmonics of the modulation frequency give rise to numerous hysteretic effects. A transition to a dynamic chaos regime under these conditions may result from bifurcation schemes of both soft and hard types. A theory is developed and compared with the results of experimental investigations of multistability and autostochasticity exhibited by solid-state and CO₂ lasers with periodic modulation of the Q factor of the resonator.