Optical bistability in gaussian inhomogeneously broadened ring lasers with saturable absorber
The optical bistability (OB) in Gaussian inhomogeneously broadened ring lasers with saturable absorber (LSA) in both resonance and out-of-resonance is theoretically analyzed in the rate-equation approximation based on the dual two-level model. The OB effect may appear for appropriate sets of LSA control parameter values which can be displayed in phase diagrams. The characteristics of the OB curves as well as their stability behavior are analytically and numerically studied in detail. The influence of the control parameters, including detuning, are investigated and displayed in the figures. A brief comparison with the Lorentzian case is given as well. ©1999 Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.