Abstract

Infrared optically pumped molecular lasers (OPMLs) have recently emerged as especially versatile systems for the study of instabilities; routes to chaos have been identified in both resonant and oft-resonant systems.^1,2 Here we report extension of our work to the first observation of pulsating instabilities in a cw CO₂ laser-pumped single-mode 12.08-μm NH₃ Raman laser. We also present first results of a general theoretical analysis of dispersion in three-level systems with regard to passive mode-splitting effects and the relative role of coherent and incoherent interactions here, which in general distinguishes them from the two-level Haken-Lorenz system.

© 1986 Optical Society of America